Association for Women in Science Announces 2025 Annual Award Winners

October 31, 2025

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Shelley O’Brien
202-827-9798
obrien@awis.org

Association for Women in Science Announces 2025 Annual Award Winners

WASHINGTON DC, October 31, 2025 – The Association for Women in Science (AWIS) is delighted to announce the recipients of this year’s Spark, Meridian, and Zenith awards. These distinguished awards celebrate AWIS members who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, impact, and commitment to inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility in STEM.

“These awardees epitomize the values of AWIS,” said Meredith Gibson, AWIS CEO. “We recognize that diverse experiences and backgrounds are essential for driving innovation and progress in scientific fields. We wish to thank these members – and all the nominees — for their contributions and dedication to building an inclusive scientific ecosystem.”

The Annual AWIS Award recipients for 2025 are:

SPARK AWARD – Highlights students or early career leaders in STEM who are visible and vocal advocates for diversity and inclusive scientific practices.

  • Mercy Anawe, Graduate Research Assistant at Purdue University, founded a support network called ‘Shining Mums’ to address challenges faced by pregnant and parenting students.
  • Sneha Michaela Chaturvedi, MD/PhD candidate in the Medical Scientist Training Program at Washington University School of Medicine, created Ethics Seminars to ensure inclusion and equity among researchers.
  • Michelle Farley, PhD Candidate in Biological Anthropology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, designed a course entitled “Colonial Influences of the Biological Sciences and Anthropology” to highlight minority voices and non-Western perspectives.
  • Yuhan (Sherlyn) Weng, PhD candidate in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology at the University of California San Diego, designed helpful workshops for international students and educational modules to introduce high school girls to bioinformatics.
  • Rosie Yagmur Yegin, PhD, Research Engineer in Sustainability & Process Innovation at BASF, facilitated leadership courses for early career women and volunteers with several programs to mentor and inspire the next generation of scientists.


MERIDIAN AWARD – Recognizes mid-career professionals whose diversity and inclusion efforts represent true leadership in the pursuit of workplace equity.

  • Marianna Burks, PhD, Assistant Professor of Practice at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, co-directed the STEM POWER Research Scholars Program to create a pathway for historically marginalized students to become STEM majors.
  • Angela K. Pannier, PhD, Swarts Family Chair of Biological Systems Engineering and Professor of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, co-founded a Women Supporting Women Network for Success within the Institute of Agricultural and Natural Resources to empower women faculty.


ZENITH AWARD – Honors senior career professionals with a lifetime of innovative achievements in STEM and a commitment to workplace diversity.

  • Marlene Belfort, PhD, Distinguished Professor, University at Albany, SUNY, cofounded Women in Health and Science on campus and a Graduate Pathway for Scholars program to attract underrepresented postdocs to join the faculty.
  • Angeliki Rigos, PhD, Founder of Epistimi, co-founded the Leadership and Professional Strategies and Skills program at MIT, then expanded that program to support early career women in STEM globally.


For more information on the award winners, visit https://awis.org/annual-awards

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About AWIS: Founded in 1971, AWIS is dedicated to driving equity and excellence in STEM by championing the interests of women across all disciplines and employment sectors so they can achieve their full potential. AWIS advocacy initiatives are committed to driving systemic change to support the 12.3M women in STEM. Our supportive community provides a sense of belonging, as well as career resources, scholarships, and opportunities for networking, mentoring, volunteering, recognition, and professional development to over 7,000 members. AWIS communications inspire over 67,000 social media followers, 32,000 monthly website visitors, and 24,000 newsletter subscribers globally. To become an AWIS member, learn about partner opportunities, or donate visit www.awis.org.