The University of Illinois Archives is hosting a monthly Women in Science Lecture Series that will feature speakers from across the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s diverse and
multidisciplinary scientific enterprise. The lecture series seeks to highlight the important innovations and contributions of women in the sciences at the University of Illinois, and center the importance of documenting women scientists and engineers to create a diverse and inclusive archival record.
This lecture series is now hybrid and will take place at the University Archives, Main Library Room 146, or over zoom once a month from noon to one pm CT. Please view our schedule and registration links below.
Spring 2024
February 8, 2024
Speaker: Dr. May Berenbaum
Professor and Head of the Department of Entomology, Dr. Berenbaum will discuss her research on the biochemical, genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying interactions between insects and plants and how she applies her knowledge to help develop sustainable management practices for natural and agricultural communities. She also will talk about her extensive public outreach programs she has developed.
Registration Link: https://go.library.illinois.edu/WomeninScienceFeb2024
March 7, 2024
Speaker: Dr. Karrie Karahalios
Professor of Computer Science, Dr. Karahalios will present her research on the relationship between computing and society, algorithmic bias, and AI.
Registration Link: https://go.library.illinois.edu/WomenInScienceMar2024
New Location for this lecture only: Siebel Center for Design Gallery space. Siebel Center for Design is located at 1208 S 4th St, Champaign, IL 61820
April 11, 2024
Speaker: Dr. Marni Boppart
Professor and Director of Strategic Initiatives for Kinesiology and Community Health, Dr. Boppart will share her research on and development of new therapies for creating muscle regrowth after disuse.
Registration Link: https://go.library.illinois.edu/WomenInScienceApril2024
May 9, 2024
Speaker: Sana Saboowala
Sana Saboowala, Ph.D. candidate, School of Integrative Biology, will share her research on how lived experiences impact the body with a specific focus on epigenetics and gene expression in South Asian Americans.
Registration Link: https://go.library.illinois.edu/WomenInScienceMay2024
Online Only Please Register for Zoom link
Fall 2023
October 12, 2023
Speaker: Dr. Donna J. Cox
Michael Aiken Chair Emerita and Professor Emerita of Art & Design, Dr. Donna Cox will share her career as the former Director of the Advanced Visualization Laboratory at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) and her research on scientific visualizations.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/3186e420-9d09-013c-4aba-02d0d7bfd6e4-c
November 16, 2023
Speaker: Dr. Sayeepriyadarshini “Sayee” Anakk
Associate Professor of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, Dr. Anakk will discuss her research on how bile acids and nuclear receptors affect liver metabolism and liver disease.
December 7, 2023
Speaker: Dr. Ann-Perry Witmer
Senior Research Scientist at the Applied Research Institute, Dr. Witmer will share her research on designing technologies that align with the knowledge, people, place and time of societies, on contextual process methodology, and her work on designing drinking-water systems.
Past Lectures:
You can find each speaker’s lecture under their description or you can access all past lectures at this link: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/collections/4fe01460-e960-0138-74c9-02d0d7bfd6e4-0
Fall 2022
October 13, 2022
Speaker: Dr. Imanni Sheppard
Assistant Teaching Professor and Co-Director of Bioethics and Medical Humanities thread at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Dr. Sheppard will discuss her work in developing medical humanities and medical anthropology curricula and her work with community based participatory research.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/61d9f460-6f6e-013b-43a3-02d0d7bfd6e4-8
November 10, 2022
Speaker: Dr. Monica Fabiani
Professor of Psychology, Dr. Fabiani will share her research on cognitive neuroscience, the neurophysiology of aging and non-invasive mapping of human brain function.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/63006b10-6f6e-013b-43a3-02d0d7bfd6e4-3
December 8, 2022
Speaker: Clarion Mendes
Clinical Assistant Professor of Speech and Hearing Science, Mendes will present on her work on speech-language pathology and gender affirming communication for transgender individuals.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/60edbc40-6f6e-013b-43a3-02d0d7bfd6e4-6
Spring 2023
February 9, 2023
Speaker: Dr. Decker French
Assistant Professor of Astronomy, Dr. French will discuss her work on how galaxies evolve over time and co-evolve with their supermassive blackholes.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/3285a090-d55d-013b-46a1-02d0d7bfd6e4-0
March 9, 2023
Speaker: Dr. Heidi Imker
Director of Research Data Service and Associate Professor at the University Library, Dr. Imker will discuss research as a modus operandi
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/7b612ed0-5707-013c-4971-02d0d7bfd6e4-a
April 13, 2023
Speaker: Molly Hathaway Goldstein
Teaching Assistant Professor and Product Design Lab Director, Dr. Goldstein will share her research on student-designer trade off decisions and design actions and thinking.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/abfa9050-620f-013c-4a0e-02d0d7bfd6e4-b
May 11, 2023
Speaker: Dr. Isabella Condotta
Assistant Professor of Animal Sciences, Dr. Condotta will discuss her research on reducing animal stress and improving their well-being and the use of technologies to study animal behavior
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/aac8d450-620f-013c-4a0e-02d0d7bfd6e4-8
Fall 2021
September 14, 2021
Speaker: Dr. Margarita Terán-Garcia
Assistant Dean for Integrated Health Disparities Programs and Assistant Professor of Nutritional Sciences, Dr. Terán will share her research on obesity including genetic and environmental influences on obesity and diseases related to obesity.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/d274ea70-1342-013a-7af9-02d0d7bfd6e4-a
October 12, 2021
Speaker: Dr. Patricia Gregg
Associate Professor of Geology, Dr. Gregg will discuss her research on volcanic systems and volcano evolution on land, on the seafloor and on other worlds.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/e113f150-6285-013a-c212-02d0d7bfd6e4-3
November 9, 2021
Speaker: Professor Colleen Bushell
Associate Director of Healthcare Innovation, Professor Colleen Bushell will present on her interdisciplinary approach to research in computing and healthcare, especially on analyzing genetic data.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/cd3fdb70-6285-013a-c212-02d0d7bfd6e4-c
Spring 2022
February 8, 2022
Speakers: MakerGirl Leadership Team: Mary Hadley, Elizabeth Engele, and Julia Haried
The Leadership Team from MakerGirl will talk about the mission and history of MakerGirl. They will also discuss their own experiences that led them to want to help girls engage with STEM disciplines in meaningful ways.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/7ae2c320-3b6c-013b-c89b-02d0d7bfd6e4-7
Wednesday March 9, 2022
Speaker: Dr. Deanna Hence
Assistant Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Dr. Hence will discuss her research on tropical meteorology as well as scientific communications and policies for the public.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/7a470860-3b6c-013b-c89b-02d0d7bfd6e4-4
Special Women’s History Month Event: Picture a Scientist Panel, March 31, 2022
Join the University of Illinois Archives for a virtual panel reflecting on the film Picture a Scientist on Thursday March 31, 2022 from 2 – 3 pm.
Dr. Brenda Molano-Flores, Senior Plant Ecologist at the Illinois Natural History Survey
Erin Kerby, Veterinary Medicine Life Sciences Librarian
Janis Shearer, Public Services and Engagement Librarian
Bethany Anderson, Natural and Applied Sciences Archivist
Dr. Teri Chettiar, Assistant Professor of History
Moderated by Cindy Ingold, Gender Studies & Multicultural Services Librarian
The film will not be shown at the panel so please view it beforehand. If you are affiliated with the University of Illinois, it is available online through the library catalog. For those not affiliated with the University of Illinois, you can view it at https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/picture-a-scientist/
April 12, 2022
Speaker: Dr. Cecilia Leal
Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Racheff Faculty Scholar, Dr. Leal will discuss her research on lipid-based systems and their uses in medicine and other biotechnological applications.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/79608000-5707-013c-4971-02d0d7bfd6e4-4
May 10, 2022
Speaker: Dr. Katie Ansell
Teaching Assistant Professor of Physics, Dr. Ansell will discuss her work on new pedagogies and curriculums for physics labs and how these changes affect students.
September 8, 2020
Speaker: Dr. Kathryn B. H. Clancy
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Anthropology and the Beckman Institute, will join us to talk about her research as a biological anthropologist and intersectional feminist biologist.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/cfa71ef0-1342-013a-7af9-02d0d7bfd6e4-4
October 13, 2020
Speaker: Dr. Carla Desi-Ann Hunter
Associate Professor of Psychology. Dr. Hunter will discuss her research on ethnic minority psychology, specifically related to identity and well-being in the United States.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/ccac2900-1342-013a-7af9-02d0d7bfd6e4-7
November 10, 2020
Speaker: Dr. Susan Martinis
Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/dcab3680-1342-013a-7af9-02d0d7bfd6e4-6
December 8, 2020
Speaker: Dr. Zeynep Madak-Erdogan
Associate Professor of Nutrition
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/deb6e0b0-1342-013a-7af9-02d0d7bfd6e4-a
February 9, 2021
Speaker: Dr. Brenda Molano-Flores
Senior Plant Ecologist at the Illinois Natural History survey part of the Prairie Research Institute will speak about her research on plant reproductive ecology, conservation biology and plant-insect interactions.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/caeefc70-1342-013a-7af9-02d0d7bfd6e4-9
March 9, 2021
Speaker: Dr. Catherine J. Murphy
Larry R. Faulkner Endowed Chair in Chemistry and Head of the Department of Chemistry, will discuss her research on inorganic nanomaterials applications and the chemical interactions these nanomaterials have on their surroundings.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/cd6e0110-1342-013a-7af9-02d0d7bfd6e4-7
April 6, 2021
Speaker: Dr. Rebecca Lee Smith
Associate Professor of Epidemiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Associate Professor of Biomedical and Translational Science in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Dr. Smith will discuss her work in epidemiology.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/d3c9f740-1342-013a-7af9-02d0d7bfd6e4-1
May 11, 2021
Speaker: Dr. Ruby Mendenhall
Associate Professor in Sociology, African American Studies, Urban and Regional Planning, and Social Work, Dr. Mendenhall will speak about her interdisciplinary work that focuses on issues of social inequality and economic mobility.
Link to Lecture: https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/d681e6c0-1342-013a-7af9-02d0d7bfd6e4-b
Land Acknowledgement
We would like to recognize and acknowledge that the University of Illinois (where the Archives is located and where our speakers work) is on the lands of the Peoria, Kaskaskia, Piankashaw, Wea, Miami, Mascoutin, Odawa, Sauk, Mesquaki, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Chickasaw Nations. These lands were the traditional territory of these Native Nations prior to their forced removal; these lands continue to carry the stories of these Nations and their struggles for survival and identity.
As a land-grant institution, the University of Illinois has a particular responsibility to acknowledge the peoples of these lands, as well as the histories of dispossession that have allowed for the growth of this institution for the past 150 years. We are also obligated to reflect on and actively address these histories and the role that this university has played in shaping them. This acknowledgement and the centering of Native peoples is a start as we move forward for the next 150 years.
If you would like an email reminder about future Women in Science Lecture Series you can join our email list at https://emails.illinois.edu/subscribe?emailId=964210580
- News-Gazette, Pioneering prof’s ‘movable schools’ helped make science ‘language of the home’,
9/20/2020 - I-STEM Education Initiative, Lecture Series Highlights Women in Science at Illinois; Makes University Archives More Diverse, 10/1/2020
- Daily Illini, University Archives document women in science, 12/2/2020
- Smile Politely, Hear about healthcare innovation from NCSA’s Colleen Bushell, 9/8/2021
Partners and Sponsors:
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
Center for Social and Behavioral Science
Cindy Ingold, Gender Studies and Multicultural Services Librarian
Grainger College of Engineering
Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute
National Center for Supercomputing Applications
Women and Gender in Global Perspectives
Funding for the initial lecture series provided by the University of Illinois Library Innovation Fund
Continued funding provided by Cancer Center at Illinois, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Center for Social and Behavioral Science, Humanities Research Institute Supplemental Event Fund, Grainger College of Engineering, and Women and Gender in Global Perspectives.
Contact Information:
For questions or comments please contact:
Bethany Anderson, Natural and Applied Sciences Archivist, bgandrsn@illinois.edu | (217) 244-5041
Kristen Allen Wilson, Illinois Distributed Museum Coordinator, klallen3@illinois.edu | (217) 300-7488