AWIS PALO ALTO

The mission of AWIS Palo Alto is to provide networking opportunities for women in science at all levels, foster career development, and to raise public awareness of the scientific and technological skills of women.

Program

We gather monthly in the Palo Alto area to network and learn about topics ranging from professional development to leadership. 

Mentoring

The mentoring program pairs 75-80 Stanford graduate and postgraduate students (from over 30 departments) with mentors. 

Scholarship

We award scholarships to women studying science who are currently students at a community college but are looking to transfer to a 4-year degree program. 

History of AWIS

In 1971, a small group of women academics met in a discussion at the FASEB meeting in Chicago about how few women were in science. From these discussions, the organization Association for Women In Science (AWIS) was born. Judith Poole and Neena Schwartz were elected the first co-Presidents of National AWIS. The original goals of AWIS were focused on: sharing information through a newsletter, keeping track of professional women through a national registry, and forming a legislative “watchdog” committee to monitor bills for non-compliance with affirmative action. These are goals that National AWIS continues to advocate for until this day. There are approximately 50 chapters of AWIS throughout the United States. National AWIS supports the local chapters by offering web-based programs to members such as mentor-net and the STEMiNAR series. 

AWIS Palo Alto

Founded In 1983, the Palo Alto chapter of AWIS was established by Rivka Sherman-Gold, who served as AWIS-PA’s first president. Rivka is still active in biotechnology in the Bay Area as an investor and entrepreneur. Currently AWIS Palo Alto is one of tens of AWIS chapters nationwide. In the San Francisco Bay Area there are even more networking opportunities with four northern California chapters (East Bay 1992, Sacramento Valley 1994, and San Francisco 2003) in which to participate. 

Our mission

  1. Cultivate a robust networking platform tailored for women across all levels of the scientific domain, fostering connections and collaborations.
  2. Empower women in science through targeted career development initiatives, equipping them with the skills and opportunities for advancement.
  3. Drive public awareness regarding the exceptional scientific and technological prowess of women, highlighting their contributions and expertise.
  4. Collaborate with prominent scientific, educational, and women’s organizations to design and implement national and community-based programs aligned with our mission.
  5. Celebrate and honor the achievements of women scientists, leveraging recognition as a catalyst for furthering our overarching goals in promoting gender equality and diversity in science.