AWIS Announces 2022 ‘Shooting Star’ Chapter Awards

WASHINGTON DC, March 10, 2023 – The Association for Women in Science (AWIS) has designated nine ‘Shooting Star’ Chapters in recognition of their initiatives throughout 2022 that supported the AWIS mission of advancing women in science. These chapters include Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, East Bay California, New York Women in Natural Sciences, Notre Dame, Philadelphia, Sacramento Valley, and Seattle.

The winning chapters were determined by AWIS’ Chapter Advisory Committee based on the information submitted in each chapter’s annual report. Each of these chapters will receive a $350 grant for use in chapter activities that impact their community and raise the profile of women in science.

Meredith Gibson, AWIS CEO, stated, “Once again, AWIS members and chapters have showcased their abilities to have a significant impact on their communities, regardless of the chapter size. We are fortunate to have many dedicated members and volunteer leaders working to advance women in science.”

Below is more information on the activities recognized by these awards. Kudos to these chapters for exceptional performance:

Shooting Star for Best All Around

• AWIS Philadelphia quickly integrated newly elected board members through an orientation process that bypassed steep learning curves and maintained momentum. They were able to focus on implementing the chapter’s strategic plan, designing programming, and engaging with the local community.

Shooting Star for Advocacy

• AWIS New York Women in Natural Sciences provides opportunities for chapter members to participate in marches, trainings, and community discussions that promote more inclusive workplaces and institutions. They also share Untold Stories of scientists from underrepresented groups.

Shooting Star for Creative and Inclusive Programming

• AWIS East Bay selected fun local events for informal networking meetups and encouraged attendees to bring friends, partners, and children. The events included stargazing at UC Berkeley, museum exhibits, and hikes which allowed members to meet new people and feel connected to the Bay Area.

Shooting Star for Community Outreach

• AWIS Notre Dame is very involved in outreach opportunities to empower women in STEM. In 2022, they judged science fairs at local high schools, raised money for Girls on the Run, supported the annual Science Olympiad, and performed science demos for 700+ attendees at a local public library.

Shooting Star for Entrepreneurship

• AWIS Baltimore engaged local businesses to support the chapter with donations of gift cards and other items for a raffle at the chapter’s first in-person event post-pandemic. The companies benefitted from the publicity, and the chapter appreciated the community support.

Shooting Star for Fundraising

• AWIS Seattle cultivated relationships with individuals and corporations who generously funded scholarships for undergraduates majoring in STEM as well as the chapter’s annual award banquet celebrating the achievement of Washington State women in STEM.

Shooting Star for Inclusive Leadership Development

• AWIS Boston Massachusetts created an LGBTQ+ Affinity Group focused on community building, ally education, and highlighting LGBTQ+ voices. To keep diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) front of mind in programming, the chapter also established a full DEI committee within their executive board.

Shooting Star for Mentoring

• AWIS Chicago added a “Speed Circle” to their successful Summer Mentoring Circles program that allowed participants to meet more mentors and mentees. They also had AWIS leaders engage rising high schoolers and create a podcast interviewing their middle school science teacher.

Shooting Star for Women’s Empowerment

• AWIS Sacramento Valley assists their local community through charity events and scholarships. They also established a program that helps women experiencing homelessness to gain skills for employment, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and obtain housing for themselves and their children.