Women in STEM

Women in STEM (WIS) is an interdisciplinary organization that seeks to create community-building opportunities for women faculty, staff, and students at California State University, Chico in Chico, CA. WIS was founded in the Fall of 2017 through the College of Natural Sciences.

Activities and Membership

Women in STEM activities and membership are open to all members of the Chico State community, regardless of gender, who are committed to the organization’s mission and focus. Participants have come from the College of Natural Sciences, College of Engineering, and Departments of Computer Science and Construction Management.

Leadership Team

The WIS leadership team organizes, facilitates, and evaluates all events based on feedback from WIS participants. If you would like to become more involved with WIS, or would like to talk to a member of the leadership team, please email us.

Dr. Monica So
Associate Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
mso@csuchico.edu
530-898-6554

Members

Dr. Hannah Aird
Associate Professor
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
haird@csuchico.edu

Dr. Carolina Alvarado
Associate Professor
Department of Science Education
calvaradoleyva@csuchico.edu

Dr. Zahrasadat Alavi
Assistant Professor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
zalavi@csuchico.edu

Dr. Christin Herrera
Associate Professor
Department of Mathematics & Statistics
caherrara@csuchico.edu

Dr. Kristen Kaczynski
Associate Professor
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
kkaczynski@csuchico.edu

Dr. Lisa Kendhammer
Associate Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
lkendhammer@csuchico.edu

Dr. M.E. Matthews
Associate Professor
Department of Mathematics & Statistics
mrmatthews@csuchico.edu

Dr. Sandrine Matiasek
Associate Professor
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
smatiasek@csuchico.edu

Dr. Julie Monet
Chair and Professor
Department of Science Education
jmonet@csuchico.edu

Dr. Anne Stephens
Assistant Professor
Department of Science Education
astephens@csuchico.edu

Dr. Rachel Teasdale
Professor
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
rteasdale@csuchico.edu

Articles

• Evidence overwhelmingly shows structural barriers to women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, and suggests that the onus cannot be on women alone to confront the gender bias in our community. Here, I share my experience as a scientist and a woman who has collected data during more than ten years of scientific training about how best to navigate the academic maze of biases and barriers. How the entire scientific community can confront gender bias in the workplace. Kathleen E. Grogan, Nature Ecology and Evolution (2018).
• Repairing the leaky STEM pipeline: Research shows that 38% of scientist-mothers were offered fewer professional opportunities since becoming parents, compared with 13% of scientist-fathers — and that was pre-pandemic. Dr. Isabel Torres, co-founder and CEO of Mothers in Science, gives an informative talk, "Is motherhood causing a critical leak in the STEMM pipeline?" You can find a list of free videos on related conference talks and panels on this page Motherhood and career retention STEMM. While none of these talks offer slamdunk solutions, they encourage flexibility, moms in senior leadership, culture reflecting policies an institution espouses, work-life integration, and offering professional development opportunities (e.g. courses and fellowships/financial support) for moms in STEM.
• Reducing conflicts at home: Division of household tasks with your partner or family members can be more fairly distributed by physical task cards, according to Eve Rodsky, the author of Fair Play. See attached for free copy of cards which can be organized in categories listed on the FairPlay website.
• John Hopkins University compiled a list Early Career Faculty Open Opportunities (Google Sheet) of grants in 2021 for which early to mid-career STEM faculty may apply.