Inspired by the Women’s Rights Movement and fired up by frustration and injustice in their own personal careers, thirty-five women establish the Association for Women in Science, incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in New York State in September.

AWIS et al. v Richardson and Marston—National Institutes of Health (NIH) is required to freeze appointments to study sections and advisory groups until women are given the chance to suggest names for the open positions. AWIS files suit against the NIH for underrepresentation of women.

Estelle Ramey, AWIS President, establishes the first national office of AWIS at 1717 R Street, NW, in Washington, D.C.

Mary Moller, Jeri Sechzer, and Anne Briscoe found the first AWIS chapter in Greater New York.

NAACP and AWIS win a lawsuit against the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) for discrimination in higher education on the basis of sex and race.

AWIS annual meeting convenes in Toronto in conjunction with AAAS’s annual meeting, to discuss the theme of building gender parity in math education.

AWIS and other women’s organizations, prompt President Jimmy Carter to proclaim the first “National Women’s History Week.”

The first symposium on "Women in Science” meets in
Washington, D.C., to promote equal pay and status for women scientists.

AWIS joins the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (NCWGE), a group of nongovernmental organizations that works on a broad range of issues affecting the rights and opportunities of women and girls in education.

AWIS cosponsors a history of women in science symposium in Chicago at the AAAS annual meeting.

Grants-At-A-Glance is founded as first comprehensive compendium of funding opportunities made available to AWIS members.

AWIS spearheads the Environmental and Scientific Taskforces for the Coalition for Women’s Appointments which support over eighty organizations.

AWIS cosponsors the “Taking the Initiative!” leadership conference with NASA, and the Department of Energy.

Accredited as a United Nations NGO, AWIS attends the “UN Fourth World Conference on Women” held in China, creating the first science and technology caucus for a UN Women’s Conference.

AWIS wins the Presidential Mentoring Award for supporting future scientists.

AWIS Board Member is appointed to the Congressional Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering, and Technology (CAWM-SET) report, published in July 2000.

AWIS staff testify in Congress on “The Advancement of Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology Development Act” (H.R. 3007).

Sloan Foundation Mentoring Grant is awarded to AWIS for developing the Institutional Climate Assessment Survey and Model Academic Policies.

AWIS hosts the leaders of NSF and RPI (the former head of the Atomic Energy Commission) and publishes a report on overcoming the barriers that women face due to bias.

Following remarks made by Harvard’s president, Lawrence Summers, AWIS launches media campaign in rebuttal.

Elsevier Foundation grants AWIS an award to launch national Work/Life Balance Program.

Carol Greider becomes the first AWIS member to earn the Nobel Prize in Medicine for her work on telomeres.

After winning the National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE grant, AWIS’ AWARDS Project proves women are underrepresented among recipients of scholarly awards.

Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of AWIS, in conjunction with the AAAS annual meeting, takes place in Washington, D.C.

AWIS partners with Hastings School of Law to compare the costs of implementing three best practice policies with the costs of a “leaky” pipeline.

AWIS announced the selection of Dr. Lee-Ann Hayek as AWIS spokesperson for the International Year of Statistics 2013 (IYSTAT).

AWIS, with more than 1,400 organizations in 111 countries, combine energies to promote the International Year of Statistics, a worldwide initiative highlighting contributions of the statistics field to finding solutions to global challenges.

AWIS featured in Presidential Inaugural Festivities and invited to participate on a panel about the importance of mentoring in STEM.

At “Filling the Skills Gap: The Untapped Resource,” AWIS partners with Aspen Institute to highlight dearth of women in advanced manufacturing.

AWIS and Ohio State University partner on 2015 National Summit on  Innovation and Entrepreneurship: A Roadmap for Inclusion.

AWIS joins the American Astronomical Association for Capitol Hill Briefing: State of the Universe highlighting diversity in STEM.

AWIS President Ann Lee Karlon addresses the United Nations on the occasion of the First International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

AWIS represents #WomeninScience at the White House’s United State of Women Summit.

AWIS awarded prestigious $420,000 Inclusion Challenge grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to launch STEM to Market (S2M), a two-part program that provides entrepreneurial awareness, skills, and support to a diversity of STEM women.

AWIS members around the country joins millions for the Women’s March.

The United States government agency tasked with promoting and funding research and development of advanced energy technologies Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy partners with AWIS on Women in Energy event.

AWIS releases groundbreaking signature report Revolutionizing the STEM Entrepreneurship Ecosystem.

As part of its annual Summit, AWIS launches an awards program to recognize individuals and companies that promote workplace equality, diversity and inclusion.

AWIS endorses the bipartisan Senate bill to recognize Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Dr. Christine Darden – the African American women mathematicians that contributed to the United States’ victory in the Space Race.

AWIS endorses the House bill “Combating Sexual Harassment in Sciences Act of 2018,” which aims to understand and address sexual harassment in the sciences.

AWIS launches the ARC Network, the STEM equity brain trust, a priority initiative to create meaningful systemic change in academia.

The first ever Equity in STEM Community Convening, hosted by AWIS’ ARC Network, serves as a meeting space for researchers, practitioners, and change agents dedicated to creating equitable STEM workplaces.

Repeated acts of racial violence in the U.S. ignite global protests. AWIS issues a public statement against systemic racism, develops a robust Antiracism resource library, and creates discussion opportunities.

AWIS makes a strategic decision to reclaim its focus on women in science and strengthens member programming to address current social and professional challenges such as sponsoring a screening of the documentary Picture a Scientist and hosting a discussion on the harassment and implicit bias women in science continue to experience.

AWIS celebrates the impact we have made over the last 50 years, connects with people and organizations that share our mission, and commits to continue championing women in science.

AWIS adds new scholarships to help advance and retain women in the STEM workforce.

AWIS press release on Eric Lander’s resignation / More must be done to address systemic gender bias and harassment in STEM.

AWIS signed a letter in support of the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act, which then successfully passed the House.

Title IX at 50 – a report by the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (NCWGE) of which AWIS is a member.

AWIS Condemns the overturning of Roe v. Wade and establishes an Advocacy Task Force.

AWIS CEO Attends the signing of the CHIPS and Science Act at the White House.

To ensure access, equity, and inclusivity, the annual awards are opened to nominations from AWIS members and the general public.

AWIS establishes a private, online community for members to connect in discussion threads and inspire, mentor, and support one another. 

AWIS supports the Global Call to Action led by Mothers in Science to implement policies which eliminate unconscious bias and ensure equal opportunities for caregivers at the most critical stages of their careers.

In response to a misleading headline in the Chronicle of Higher Education, AWIS clarifies that gender bias persists in the scientific workforce.

AWIS surveyed members and stakeholders to determine strategic priorities through 2026.

AWIS joined 200+ organizations in an effort to improve STEMM equity and excellence by 2050. 

AWIS launched an annual program that provides 1-2 members advocacy training and leadership opportunities. 

AWIS honors individuals who have been AWIS members for 40 or more years with free lifetime membership.

AWIS encourages members to attend local rallies and urge legislators to protect and expand science research funding, end political interference in science, and preserve equitable access to STEM.

AWIS establishes new behavior expectations for members and participants, the complaint review process, and consequences for violations.

AWIS supports the global campaign created by Mothers in Science designed to redefine caregiving as a shared responsibility and advance gender equality.

AWIS launches a reimagined Career Center that uses skills-based matching to connect jobseekers and recruiters in less time with greater precision and less bias.