Development, Leadership, Visibility Initiative

Develop Networks, Promote Communication, Increase Visibility of Women

Women consistently cite professional and personal isolation as a contributor to a chilly academic climate. To address this issue, WISELI will develop list serves and email distribution lists to connect WISE faculty, staff, graduate students, and postdocs; maintain a web site, sponsor receptions for the Celebrating Women in Science and Engineering Seminar Series, publish a WISE Research Resource Book with a picture and academic sketch of each woman faculty member in the biological and physical sciences; and publish a newsletter on the web to provide updates on arrivals of new women faculty, accomplishments and milestones, and research news from the women faculty in science. The Leadership Team will serve as a nominating committee, actively seeking awards for eligible women at UW-Madison. Further linkages with other campuses will be achieved by sending women to the CIC WISE and other national WISE meetings.

Ongoing programs:

• WISELI hosts a seminar series in which scholars from various disciplines share their work on women in science and/or engineering with members of WISELI's Leadership Team, their colleagues, graduate students, postdocs, and all other interested parties. The goal of these seminars is to enhance our knowledge and understanding of various issues confronting women in science and engineering, foster discussion of these issues, present results of WISELI's research activities, and provide opportunities for scholars from multiple disciplines to meet and share their work.
• WISELI runs the Celebrating Women in Science & Engineering Grant Program, a collaboration between WISELI and the following schools/colleges: CALS, L&S, Pharmacy, Medical, Veterinary Medicine, and Engineering. This program provides funds to departments, centers, or student groups wishing to enhance their own seminar schedules, or especially to create new workshops, symposia, lecture series, or similar events in line with the goals of WISELI.
• WISELI maintains this website, which serves to (1) inform and update people on WISELI's activities, (2) inform people of events and news related to women in science and engineering, and (3) provide resources for and about women in science and engineering.
• WISELI maintains a listserv to which WISELI's announcements and selected announcements from other organizations related to WISELI's mission are sent.

Outreach:

2005

Mentoring Women for Leadership
4/26/2005
A panel presentation by Robin Douthitt (Dean, SoHE), Luoluo Hong (Dean of Students), Katharine May (Dean, Nursing), Jeanette Roberts (Dean, Pharmacy), and Frances Westley (Director, IES). Co-sponsored by WISELI and the Committee on Women in the University

Women in Science & Engineering: What the Research Really Says
4/14/2005
A panel presentation with Jo Handelsman (Prof., Plath Pathology and co-Director, WISELI), Linda Oakley (Assoc. Prof., Nursing), Caitilyn Allen (Prof., Plant Pathology), Molly Carnes (Prof., Med. School and co-Director, WISELI), and John Wiley (Chancellor, UW-Madison) in response to Harvard president Lawrence Summers' remarks on January 14, 2005 about the under-representation of women in the highest levels of STEM careers. Co-sponsored by WISELI and Science Alliance.

Balancing Motherhood and Career Graduate School Leadership and Professional Development Seminar
3/4/2005
Vicki Bier and Caitilyn Allen are featured panelists. Co-sponsored by The Graduate School Collaborative, the Women Faculty Mentoring Program, and WISELI.

GWIS Career Panel
2/7/2005
A panel of women scientists working in large and small academic institutions, government, and industry will address career options for women scientists and provide advice for experiencing satisfying careers. Co-sponsored by WISELI.

2004

Three conversations about MENTORNET with CEO and President CAROL MULLER
7/7/2004
Conversations with campus leaders, students, and faculty. Topics covered: Who will benefit from MentorNet? How can/should we promote this resource? Ever wonder what working in industry is like? About grad school? How you manage a career and a life? About a faculty position? Need a mentor? Want to be a mentor? Want to help retain STEM students? Coordinated by The Engineering Learning Center and co-sponsored by DELTA, WISELI, and the HHMI New Generation Program for Scientific Teaching.