Contact:
Maria Ibañez
202-588-8175
Ibanez@awis.org
AWIS Celebrates Nobel Prize Winners and Strongly Urges Awards Equity
WASHINGTON DC, October 3, 2018 – Susan Windham-Bannister, PhD, National Governing Board President of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS) issued the following statement in response to the Nobel Prizes awarded to Donna Strickland, PhD, in Physics and Frances H. Arnold, PhD, in Chemistry. AWIS is the leading global organization that advocates for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“We are so pleased and proud to see Dr. Donna Strickland and Dr. Frances Arnold receive Nobel Prizes this year. On behalf of AWIS I want to extend warmest congratulations to these outstanding scientists. For decades, women have produced innovative breakthroughs in STEM fields. Yet, only a few have been awarded a Nobel Prize. Awards are important indicators of career success and have a significant impact on decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, promotion, and tenure. Research by AWIS shows that women are consistently underrepresented among recipients of scholarly and research awards. The Nobel Prize Committee has wrongfully normalized a climate that hinders the advancement of women in STEM by consistently failing to reward their achievements. At AWIS our mission is to achieve STEM equity and full participation of women in all disciplines of STEM. Sustainable and equitable change requires continued and conscious efforts on the part of everyone, including the Nobel Prize Committee,” said Susan Windham-Bannister, PhD.
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About AWIS: Founded in 1971, AWIS has been the leading advocate for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to achieve business growth, social change, and innovation. We are dedicated to driving excellence in STEM by achieving equity and full participation of women in all disciplines and across all employment sectors. In addition to scholarships, AWIS provides career resources, professional development, as well as networking, mentoring, and volunteer opportunities to build leadership skills. To learn more, visit awis.org and @AWISNational.