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Diversity in STE A M www.diversityinsteam.com
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iversity in STEAM Magazine ( DISM ) had the pleasure of catching up with Meredith Gibson, the current CEO for the Association for Women in Science (AWIS) - a 50-year-old organization that advocates on behalf of women in STEM to achieve business growth, social change and innovation. She is responsible for AWISs strategic planning, non-dues revenue generation and membership engagement, and has been since 2007. A graduate of the University of Washington with a bachelors degree in international studies, Gibson has traveled extensively to better understand cultural differences in an effort to be a well-versed advocate and ally. She continuously pushes for scientific knowledge to become accessible to all in the hope of broadening participation in the STEM community, both in the United States and abroad. We asked Gibson more about the mission of AWIS and the impact it's had on ge@ing even more women into STEM, among many other things. Heres what she had to say: DISM : What led you to personally take an interest in science and STEM? Meredith Gibson (MG) : I am proud to work to support sci- entists and STEM professionals because I am moved by the improvements they bring to society. My childhood friend had a life-changing illness, and I so appreciated the researchers, medical staffand community that improved her daily life. I know the scientists of today stand on the shoulders of those who helped her. To dedicate my professional expertise to sup-
What Brings Joy to the Association for Women in Science CEO?
porting today's scientists and those whom they help brings me great joy. DISM : How do you see the roles of women and other diverse individuals changing and growing in the STEM fields? MG: While some scientific ields have achieved parity in graduation rates, we still lose women at a high rate at each major career and life milestone. This attrition is often due to toxic workplaces and caregiving duties that traditionally fall to women instead of men. Organi- zations have a responsibility to provide safe, inclusive environ- ments. Not only do diverse, bias-free workplaces provide better experiences for individ- uals, but they also yield greater employee engagement and sat- isfaction, increased innovation and profitability. As more women and diverse individuals assume leadership roles, they change the organi- zational culture. For example, a study published by the Proceed- ings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in February 2022, showed that when Gen- eral Motors named Mary Barra as its CEO, the language used in corporate filings evolved and reduced gender stereotypes. This language trickled down throughout the organization and helped women at all levels be successful. As our work cultures evolve, I look forward to seeing more examples of women and diverse individuals being recruited, supported, celebrated and elevated in their professional pursuits. DISM : What is the mission of AWIS? What are the Association's goals or what does it hope to accomplish? MG: The AWIS mission is to champion the interest of women in science across all disciplines and employment sectors. Working for positive system transformation, AWIS strives to ensure that all women in these fields can achieve their full potential. Our vision is to see women in STEM: Compensated fairly and
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