2,000 Women Speakers Worth Listening To

This is a list of over two thousand women, from different parts of the world and with different areas of expertise, who would make excellent speakers at atheist, skeptic, scientific or human rights events. If you can’t invite any of them specifically, the list may trigger ideas of similar women who you can invite.

It began as a list of a thousand women speakers that I compiled in 2012, after a debate on an atheist forum in which I was arguing for a better gender balance in speakers at such events. One particularly enlightened contributor disagreed because: “There are – and I am counting – no female scientists I would turn up for at a skeptics convention. Well, maybe Alice Roberts. The rest are male.”

There were two more rational counter-arguments: that there should be no discrimination on the grounds of gender, and that speakers should be chosen purely on merit. But in practice there currently is discrimination on the grounds of gender, speakers are not chosen purely on merit, and a better gender balance would introduce audiences to excellent new speakers.

Another counter-argument was that event organisers, because they want to focus on merit, simply don’t think of the gender of their speakers. This may be both true and also part of the problem. Organisers may just think of the established names that immediately come to mind, and then think of other speakers who are like these, which perpetuates the current bias.

I was then asked the question: how do organisers invite women speakers if they are not aware of them? Well, really, it’s not that hard. You just do a bit of research. I began this list with a thousand potential speakers, mostly from publicly available online sources, and I have since updated it to include two thousand women worth listening to.

This is not a list of potential speakers for any specific event, as each event has its own unique mix of requirements. But it shows that you can improve the quality of the list that you choose your speakers from by doing some research. For practical reasons, you may not be able to invite many of the specific women on this list to your particular event, but reading this list may trigger some ideas of similar women who you can invite.

Finally, I should add a caveat that I do not agree with the politics of all of the speakers on this list. This is similar to the caveat that the organisers of the Black Women in Europe Power Lists (which I link to on this list) have on their website. They say: “Please note that the criteria is that they wield power, and you may disagree with the politics of how some of them wield this power.”

If you would like to add any names, please do so in the comments.


CONTENTS

Ireland

  • Speakers at Atheist Ireland Empowering Women Through Secularism International Conference Dublin 2013
  • Organisers of Empowering Women Through Secularism Conference
  • Speakers at other Atheist Ireland Events
  • Promoters of Reason, Science, Human Rights and Secularism
  • Members of the National Women’s Council of Ireland
  • Members of the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment

International

  • Promoters of Reason, Science, Human Rights and Secularism
  • Ginetta Sagan and Anna Politkovskaya Human Rights Awards
  • Women Nobel Laureates of the 21st Century
  • Members of UN Expert Group on Gender, Science and Technology
  • UCL Inspiring Women in Science speakers programme
  • Guardian/UKRC list of Women Bloggers in Science, Engineering, Technology
  • Alice Bell’s list of Women Tweeters in Science, Technology, Environment
  • The Guardian list of Women Scientist Role Models
  • Women in Technology International Hall of Fame
  • Global Women Inventors and Innovators Hall of Fame
  • Women Mayors of major cities around the world
  • Black Women in Europe Power Lists
  • L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science International Awards
  • Organization for Women in Science in the Developing World Awards
  • Graduate Women International Speakers

United States

  • Speakers at CFI Women in Secularism Conferences 2012-2016
  • The Secular Women Speakers Bureau, USA
  • University of Minnesota Distinguished Women Scholars Awards
  • U of Minnesota Women Scientists & Engineers Speakers Program
  • APS Physics Women Speakers Program, USA
  • Women Scientists who give Awesome Seminars

PART ONE – IRELAND

Speakers at Atheist Ireland Empowering Women through Secularism International Conference 2013

Organizers of Empowering Women through Secularism Conference

Speakers at other Atheist Ireland Events

Promoters of Reason, Science, Human Rights and Secularism

  • Benedicta Attoh, Louth African Women’s Group
  • Mariaam Bhatti, Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland
  • Mairin de Burca, social and political activist
  • Emma Brannlund, NUIG Feminist Society
  • Sabina Brennan, Dept Psychology TCD
  • Elaine Byrne, Dept Political Science TCD
  • Jennifer DeWan, Cork Feminista
  • Joan Collins TD, Independents For Change
  • Jessica Connor, Irish Feminist Network
  • Ruth Coppinger TD, Solidarity
  • Eilish Corcoran, Development Officer, Women’s Manifesto project
  • Mary Cullen, Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies, TCD
  • Clare Daly TD, United Left Alliance
  • Eve Darcy, Comedian
  • Roja Fazaeli, TCD
  • Clara Fischer, Irish Feminist Network
  • Erin Gell, Irish Feminist Network
  • Patty Gray, anthropologist, NUI Maynooth
  • Noeleen Hartigan, Amnesty Ireland
  • Grainne Healy, Chairwoman of Marriage Equality
  • Kitty Holland, journalist and author
  • Roisin Ingle, journalist
  • Anele Jakiel, DWAG
  • Ann James, Humanist Association of Ireland
  • Sinead Kennedy, Coalition to Repeal 8th Amendment
  • Vanessa Lacey, Transgender Equality Network Ireland
  • Mary Lawlor, campaigner for rights of adoptees
  • Sandra Lewis, Coalition to Repeal 8th Amendment
  • Camille Loftus, socio-economic researcher
  • Fiona Looney, journalist
  • Miriam Lord, journalist
  • Catherine Lynch, Irish Network Against Racism
  • Kathleen Lynch, UCD
  • Catherine Martin TD, Green Party
  • Salome Mbugwe, AkiDWA
  • Susan McKay, former CEO Nat Women’s Council of Ireland
  • Mary McAuliffe, Pres Women’s History Association of Ireland
  • Helen McCormack, journalist and radio producer
  • Catherine McGuiness, former Supreme Court Judge
  • Catherine Phil McCarthy, poet
  • Dearbhail McDonald, journalist
  • Mamo McDonald, Hon Pres of Age and Opportunity
  • Mary Lou McDonald TD, Sinn Fein
  • Anthea McTiernan, editor of Irish Times Ticket Magazine
  • Alice Maher, artist
  • Catherine Morris, curator of Alice Milligan exhibition
  • Una Mullally, journalist
  • Catherine Murphy TD, Social Democrats
  • Fionnuala Murphy, Dublin Skeptics in the Pub, Skeprechauns
  • Siobhan O’Donoghue, director Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland
  • Elisa O’Donovan, UCD Students Against Sexism
  • Kathleen O’Neill, Kilbarrack CDP
  • Rebecca O’Neill, Dublin Skeptics in the Pub, Skeprechauns
  • Jane Ohlmeyer, TCD
  • Lynne Parker, theatre director
  • Averil Power, Fianna Fail Senator
  • Emma Regan, Irish Feminist Network
  • Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland
  • Fiona Ross, director of the NLI
  • Genevieve Shanahan, former UCC Atheists
  • Roisin Shortall TD, Social Democrats
  • Ailbhe Smith, Coalition to Repeal 8th Amendment
  • Brid Smith TD, People Before Profit
  • Anne Speed, SIPTU
  • Alison Spillane, Irish Feminist Network
  • Sonja Tiernan, Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies
  • Clare Treacy, chairperson of NWCI
  • Jillian van Turnhout, Independent Senator
  • Margaret Ward, Women’s Resource and Development Agency
  • Katherine Zappone, Independent Senator

Members of the National Women’s Council of Ireland

The National Women’s Council of Ireland’s vision is of an Ireland and of a world where there is full equality between women and men. Its mission is to to lead and be a catalyst for change in the achievement of equality between women and men. It has over 150 member organisations, some of which are listed here. You can get further information and contact details of all of its member organisations at this link.

Members of the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment

The Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment was an alliance of over 60 organisations including human rights, feminist and pro-choice organisations, trade unions, health organisations, NGOs, community organisations and many others, who successfully campaigned to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the Irish Constitution, which made abortion unconstitutional.

  • Abortion Rights Campaign (ARC)
  • Action for Choice
  • AIMSI (Association for Improvements in Maternity Services Ireland)
  • Akidwa
  • ASLEF the Union
  • Amnesty Ireland
  • Anti-Austerity Alliance
  • Anti-Racism Network
  • Atheist Ireland
  • BeLong To
  • Bray and District Trade Council
  • Choice Ireland
  • Communications Workers Union
  • Community Workers Coop
  • Cork Pro-Choice
  • Doctors for Choice
  • Dun Laoghaire Repeal the 8th
  • Equality & Rights Alliance (ERA)
  • Galway Pro-Choice Group
  • Humanist Association Ireland
  • HUN Real Issues
  • ICCL (Irish Council for Civil Liberties)
  • ICTU (Irish Congress of Trades Unions)
  • ICTU Youth
  • IMPACT Trade Union
  • Kerry for Choice
  • Labour Women
  • Lawyers for Choice
  • Limerick Feminist Network
  • LINC (Advocating for Lesbian and Bisexual Women)
  • Mandate Trade Union
  • Medical Students for Choice
  • Midwives for Choice
  • National Traveller Women’s Forum
  • NWCI (National Women’s Council of Ireland)
  • Need Abortion Ireland
  • Northern Ireland Alliance for Choice
  • One Family
  • Parents for Choice
  • People before Profit Alliance
  • Rape Crisis Network Ireland
  • Re(al)Productive Health
  • Repeal Project
  • ROSA (Reproductive Rights Against Oppression Sexism & Austerity)
  • School of Social Justice UCD
  • Sligo Repeal the Eighth
  • Socialist Party
  • Socialist Workers Party
  • SWAI (Sex Workers Alliance Ireland)
  • TCD Students Union
  • TFMR Ireland (Terminations for Medical Reasons)
  • TENI (Transgender Equality Network Ireland)
  • The Workers’ Party Ireland
  • TUC (UK)
  • Trade Union Campaign to Repeal the 8th
  • USI (Union of Students in Ireland)
  • ULA United Left Alliance
  • UNITE the Union
  • UL Medical Students for Choice
  • Waterford Trade Council
  • X-ile Project

PART TWO – INTERNATIONAL

Promoters of Reason, Science, Human Rights and Secularism

  • Jessica Ahlquist, secular student activist
  • Rain Ashford, expert in wearable technology, digital futures
  • Ayaan Hirsi Ali, writer and activist
  • Athena Andreadis, Prof of cell biology and author
  • Trinity Aodh, Secular Women
  • Natalie Angier, science writer
  • Deirdre Barrett, Psychologist and author of Supernormal Stimuli
  • Sharon Begley, Science columnist Newsweek
  • Biodork, liberal blogger
  • Susan Blackmore, author
  • Brandi Braschler, Co-Founder & VP Secular Woman
  • Ann Brusseel, parliamentarian, Belgium
  • Leslie Cannold, author, columnist and ethicist, Australia
  • Kelly Carlin, Writer/Performer. Host of The Kelly Carlin Show
  • Jane Caro, writer, Australia
  • Miranda Celeste Hale, English educator and blogger, USA
  • Beth Ciesielski, ex-CFI, Belgium
  • Nell Cole, podcast producer
  • Jessica Constantine, Humanist Hour podcast
  • Anne Marie Cunningham, GP & clinical lecturer, Wales
  • Nonie Darwish, Founder and Director of Former Muslims United
  • Catherine Deveney, writer, comedian and author, Australia
  • Mariette DiChristina, Editor in Chief, Scientific American
  • Kate Donovan, Teen Skepchick blogger, Secular Woman
  • Barbara Drescher, Contributor to Insight blog at Skeptic Society
  • Ann Druyan, science writer
  • Rachel Dunlop, Blogger and Skeptic Zone podcaster
  • Sonja Eggerickx, IHEU, Belgium
  • Barbara Ehrenreich, writer and political activist
  • Lone Frank, Neurobiologist & science writer, Denmark
  • Karen Garst, author and blogger, USA
  • Bridget Gaudette, Co-Founder & VP Secular Woman
  • Pamela Gay, Astronomer and Astronomy Cast host
  • Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freedom From Religion Foundation, USA
  • Melinda Gebbie, comics artist of Lost Girls
  • Adrianne George, founder Black Women in Europe Blog
  • Noelle George, Foundation Beyond Belief, Secular Woman
  • Susan Gerbic, Organiser of Wikipedia editing project
  • Felicia Gilljam, Skepchick Sweden
  • Jane Goldman, writer and TV presenter, England
  • Rebecca Goldstein, philosopher and novelist
  • Susan Haack, Prof of philosophy and law
  • Harriet Hall, Science Based Medicine blogger and SkepDoc
  • Jennifer Hancock, author The Humanist Approach to Happiness
  • Tracie Harris, Atheist Experience show
  • Colleen Hartland, Victorian Greens, Australia
  • Sharon Hill, Doubtful News blogger
  • Arni Hole, philosopher and civil servant, Norway
  • Dana Hunter, science fiction writer and blogger
  • Deborah Hyde, The Skeptic magazine & Westminster Skeptics
  • Gulalai Ismail, Awaregirls, Pakistan
  • Rabbi Miriam Jerris, Society for Humanistic Judaism
  • Ellen Johnson, Former President American Atheists
  • Leila Johnston, technologist in Res, The Site Gallery, Sheffield
  • Kelly Jolkowski, founder of Project Jason
  • Zinnia Jones, writer and videoblogger
  • Wendy Kaminer, writer
  • Jennifer Keane, blogger (ZenBuffy)
  • Tracy King, Skepchick, England
  • Paula Kirby, Secular consultant & activist, UK
  • Bobbie Kirkhart, Author and Activist, USA
  • Asa Kleveland, Norwegian Humanist Association and singer
  • Joan Konner, Editor of The Atheist’s Bible
  • Nica Lali, author of Nothing: Something to Believe in
  • Carolyn Leighton, Founder Women in Technology International
  • Lyz Liddell, Secular Student Alliance, Secular Woman
  • Lori Lipman Brown, politician
  • Elisabeth Loftus, psychologist and memory expert
  • Stef McGraw, activist and blogger
  • Emma McKenna, film editor and producer, Australia
  • Shiela McLean, writer and ethicist
  • Marion Maddox, theologian and philosopher, Australia
  • Maria Maltseva, attorney, writer and blogger (Blu Harmony)
  • Molleen Matsumura, co-author Raising Freethinkers
  • Sara E Mayhew, Illustrator and storyteller
  • Gea Meijers, IHE Youth Org, Belgium
  • Daniela Meli, Eskeptica, Spain
  • Adele Mercier, philosopher
  • Gia Milinovich, TV presenter, England
  • Maggie Millar, actress and artist, Australia
  • Ashley Miller, writer and blogger, Secular Woman
  • Sarah Morehead, Dep Exec Director Secular Woman
  • Sharon Moss, Alumni Director Secular Student Alliance
  • Maryam Namazie, British Council of Ex-Muslims
  • Meera Nanda, secular writer and philosopher, India
  • Taslima Nasrin, writer, poet, activist, Bangladesh
  • Betty Nassaka, rights campaigner, Uganda
  • Jennifer Ouellette, science writer
  • Christine Overall, philosopher and writer, Canada
  • Sumitra Padmanabhan, Humanist Association of India
  • Ashley Paramore, Dev Director Secular Student Alliance
  • Fiona Patten, Founder Australian Sex Party
  • Jen Peeples, Atheist Experience show
  • Katha Pollitt, American feminist poet, essayist, critic
  • Carrie Poppy, Skeptical activist and podcaster
  • Sue Ann Post, Australian comedian
  • Laura Purdy, Philosopher, Canada
  • Cristina Rad, video blogger, Romania
  • Catherine Redfern, The F Word, England
  • Rosie Redfield, University of British Columbia
  • Natalie Reed, skeptical blogger
  • Shabana Rehman, comedian and writer, Norway/Pakistan
  • Ann Reid, National Center for Science Education, USA
  • Kim Rippere, Co-Founder & President Secular Woman
  • Chris Rodda, author and blogger
  • Rose St Clair, activist and blogger
  • Eugenie Scott, National Center for Science Education, USA
  • Eve Seibert, Editor and Blogger at Skeptical Humanities
  • Sarah Silverman, comedian
  • Nina Shea, human rights lawyer, religious freedom advocate
  • Ariane Sherine, journalist, UK
  • Abbie Smith, scientist and blogger
  • Joan Smith, columnist, critic and novelist
  • Tanya Smith, former President Atheist Alliance Int, Australia
  • Kate Smurthwaite, British comedian and activist
  • Jill Sobule, singer
  • Karen Stollznow, Linguist and paranormal investigator
  • Nadine Strossen, former ACLU President
  • Kylie Sturgess, founder of Token Skeptic podcast
  • Diane Swanson, children’s author
  • Julia Sweeney, comedian
  • Carol Tavris, author of Mistakes were Made
  • Emma Tom, Australian journalist and author
  • Polly Toynbee, British journalist and Humanist
  • Silvana Ulrich, IHE Youth Org, Germany
  • Nora Volkow, Director US Nat Institute on Drug Abuse
  • Ann Marie Waters, One Law for All Campaign, UK
  • Christine Winterbourn, biochemist, Rutherford Medal winner, NZ
  • Stella Young, comedian and disability advocate, Australia

Ginetta Sagan Award for Human Rights Activism

Amnesty International USA makes an award each year to a woman campaigning for human rights in an area where rights violations are widespread. The award is in honor of Ginetta Sagan, who worked with Amnesty International on behalf of prisoners of conscience.

  • 2017 Charon Asetoyer, USA, Native American Community Board
  • 2016 Julienne Lusenge, Congo, Female Solidarity for Peace & Development
  • 2015 Amal Habbani, Sudan, No to Women’s Oppression Initiative
  • 2014 Magda Adly, Egypt, El Nadim Center for Victims of Violence
  • 2014 Suzan Fayad, Egypt, El Nadim Center for Victims of Violence
  • 2012 Jenni Williams, Women of Zimbabwe Arise
  • 2010 Rebecca Masika Katsuva, Congo APDUD
  • 2009 Yolanda Becerra Vega, Colombia Popular Women’s Organization
  • 2008 Betty Makoni, Zimbabwe, Girl Child Network
  • 2007 Lydia Cacho Ribeiro, Mexico, CIAM crisis centre
  • 2006 Ljiljana Raicevic, Serbia/Montenegro Women’s Safe House
  • 2005 Hawa Aden Mohamed, Somalia, Galkayo Education Center for Peace
  • 2004 Nebahat Akkoc, Turkey, Ka-Mer Women’s Center
  • 2003 Sonia Pierre, Dominican Republic, MUDHA
  • 2002 Jeannine Mukanirwa, Congo/Canada PAIF
  • 2000 Helen Akongo, Uganda, Gulu Support the Children Organization
  • 2000 Giulia Tamayo Leon, Peru/Spain, human rights lawyer
  • 2000 Hina Jilani, Pakistan, Women’s legal aid program
  • 1999 Sima Wali, Afghanistan/USA, Refugee Women in Development
  • 1999 Adriana Portillo-Bartow, Guatemala/USA Children’s rights
  • 1998 Beatrice Mukansinga, Rwanda, Speak, I am Listening
  • 1997 Mangala Sharma, Bhutan/Nepal/USA, BRAVE

Anna Politkovskaya Award for Human Rights Activism

The human rights organization Reach All Women in War makes an award each year to a woman human rights defender from a conflict zone. The award is in honor of Anna Politkovskaya, the Russian journalist and human rights activist who was murdered in 2006.

Women Nobel Laureates of the 21st Century

Members of UN Expert Group on Gender, Science and Technology

  • Monia Cheikh, Tunisia, Prof of Physics U of Tunis El Manar
  • Flavia Franconi, Italy, Prof of Pharmacology U of Sassari
  • Sophia Huyer, Canada, Exec Dir WIGSAT Women, Technology, Society
  • Kong-Ju-Bock Lee, Korea, DG Nat Inst for Supporting Women in Science
  • Verdiana Grace Masanja, Tanzania, Prof Applied Maths Nat U of Rwanda
  • Mereseini Seniloli, Fiji, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
  • Nikolina Sretenova, Bulgaria, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Sofia

UCL Inspiring Women in Science speakers programme

UCL’s Inspiring Women in Science speakers programme aims to introduce girls to science in an appealing way and to show how science directly relates to their lives, To book a speaker for your school, please contact UCL’s Equality and Diversity Team at equalities@ucl.ac.uk. Examples of speakers are:

  • Claire Crowley, tissue engineer, development of organ replacements
  • Clare Elwell, Professor of Medical Physics at UCL
  • Eva Sorensen is a Professor in Chemical Engineering at UCL
  • Flavia Mancini, neuroscientist investigating how we perceive pain
  • Jennifer Bizley, neuroscientist working at UCL’s Ear Institute
  • Larissa Suzuki, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
  • Martina Micheletti, Biochemical Engineering
  • Snezana Djordjevic, Structural and Molecular Biology
  • Ines Pineda-Torra, control of lipid metabolism by receptors

The Guardian/UKRC list of Women bloggers in Science, Engineering and Technology

Guardian blogger Martin Robbins, inspired by Jennifer Rohn, compiled a list of women bloggers in Science, Engineering and Technology. The UK Resource Centre for Women in SET, which runs the GetSET Women blog, alphabetized it.

Alice Bell’s list of Women Tweeters in Science, Technology, Environment

Alice Bell (@alicebell)’s list of 50 ace women tweeters who have some connection to science, technology, environment and/or health

  • Kate AG @RadioKate Freelance radio geek/producer/journalist
  • Emily Anthes @EmilyAnthes Science writer, author Frankenstein’s Cat
  • Kat Arney @harpistkat The Nigella of Science
  • Hayley Birch @gingerbreadlady Freelance science writer & editor
  • Jessica Bland @pesska Technology futures @nesta_uk
  • Deborah Blum @deborahblum Book author, science journalist, blogger
  • Jo Brodie @JoBrodie Likes science communication and film music
  • Michelle Brook @MLBrook thinker, writer, researcher
  • Joanna Bryson @j2bryson Artificial & natural intelligence
  • Karen Bultitude @karenbultitude Sci comm academic and practitioner
  • Sophia Collins @sophiacol http://nappysciencegang.wordpress.com
  • Zoe Corbyn @ZoeCorbyn journalist writing about science, technology
  • GF Davies @gailfdavies Prof in Human Geography at Exeter University
  • Catherine de Lange@catdl Feature editor at New Scientist
  • Hannah Devlin @hannahdev The Guardian’s Science Correspondent
  • Tori Herridge @ToriHerridge dwarf elephant expert & palaeobiologist
  • Rebekah Higgitt @beckyfh Historian of science @KentCHOTS
  • Mariette DiChristina @mdichristina Editor in Chief and Senior VP, @sciam
  • Athene Donald @AtheneDonald Physics Professor Cambridge University
  • Vanessa H @HPS_Vanessa Historian and Guardian Science Blogger
  • Lou Hurst @lou_hurst ukpolicymatters.thelancet.com
  • Louise Johnson @LouiseJJohnson Evolutionary geneticist
  • Viki Johnson @victoria_plumb researcher of energy transitions
  • Aleks Krotoski @aleksk Raising $¥€£ for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Soc
  • Hilary Leevers @HLeevers working to improve science education
  • Xameerah Malik @xmalik
  • Jo Marchant @JoMarchant Science journalist and author
  • Zita Martins @ZitaMartins Astrobiology researcher. Science communicator
  • Naomi McAuliffe @NaomiMc Head of @AmnestyScotland
  • Sylvia McLain @girlinterruptin Runs biophysics research @ Oxford Uni
  • Brigitte Nerlich @BNerlich humanities and social sciences
  • Rebecca Onion @rebeccaonion Staff writer @Slate, history & culture
  • Christine Ottery @christineottery Feminist and ex-Energydesker
  • #Hellomynameis Petra @DrPetra Agony Aunt at Telegraph
  • Christina Pikas @cpikas Science & engineering librarian
  • Becky Purvis @BeckyPurvis Head of Public Affairs at the Royal Society
  • Elin Roberts @elinoroberts enjoying science isn’t just for scientists
  • Jennifer Rohn @JennyRohn cell biologist at UCL. broadcaster, writer
  • Sophie Scott @sophiescott UCL professor, neuroscience of voices
  • Marieclaire Shanahan @mcshanahan Assoc Prof Science Education
  • Beck Smith @beck_smith Adviser @savechildrenuk
  • Olivia Solon @oliviasolon journalist covering tech, science & digital culture
  • Kaitlin Thaney @kaythaney programs at @mozilla foundation
  • Elvira Uyarra @euyarra Manchester Institute of Innovation Research
  • Gaia Vince @WanderingGaia Writer, broadcaster, author
  • Christie Wilcox @NerdyChristie Author of Venomous & Science Sushi
  • Alexandra Witze @alexwitze Correspondent for Nature
  • Lou Woodley @LouWoodley Community Engagement @trelliscience

The Guardian list of Women Scientist Role Models 2010

Science commentator Alom Shaha compiled this list for the Guardian in 2010 under the heading Where’s the female Brian Cox? and commenters added other suggestions.

Recommendations from commenters:

Women in Technology International Hall of Fame

Women in Technology International is a professional support network for women in all sectors of technology. Every year it adds new inductees to its Hall of Fame to recognize, honor and promote the contribution of women to the scientific and technological communities that improve and evolve our society.

Global Women Inventors and Innovators Hall of Fame

The Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network has a Hall of Fame. Follow the link for further details.

Europe – Inventors

  • Federica Migliardo, Italy, biotechnological applications
  • Joan Bree, Ireland, new product for sun-care market.
  • Marika Mikelsaar, Estonia, medical microbiology
  • Maire McLoone, UK, Electronic Engineering
  • Christiane Mentrup, Germany/Switzerland, occupational therapist
  • Virpi Roto, Finland, Minimap web browser

Europe – Innovators

  • Cintra Jaggan-Vince, UK, social entrepreneur
  • Giselle Rufer, Switzerland, creator of the Delance watch brand
  • Maria Conceicao, Portugal/Dubai, Started the Dhaka Project
  • María Kristin Magnusdottir, Iceland, luxury shoe designer
  • Myriam Tamagni, Belgium, founded Tamarico
  • Ndieme Ndao, Switzerland/Senegal – founder Dieme Cosmetics Sarl
  • Nicola Hochgruber, Germany, Accor Hotellerie Deutschland GmbH
  • Petra Moske, Germany, social entrepreneur.
  • Patricia O’Sullivan, Ireland, runs the M50 Enterprise Programme
  • Runa Magnusdottir, Iceland, interior design import company
  • Sharon Adler, Germany, founder and editor of Aviva-Berlin e-zine
  • Vanessa Hannen, Germany/Italy, Master of Arts in Design in Milan

Pan-African Women Invent & Innovate 2005

  •  Nella Kumafo, Ghana, 2005 Overall Winner Award
  • Tomilola Awoniyi, Nigeria, Product Development
  • Aissa Dione Tissus, Senegal, Textile, Craft, Furniture Design
  • Zoe Dean-Smith, Swaziland, Managing Director of Gone Rural
  • Bisi Adeleye Fayemi, African Women’s Development Fund
  • Dr Hilda Tadia, African Women’s Development Fund
  • Joanna Foster, African Women’s Development Fund
  • Lara Cookey, Nigeria, Managing Director of Context Design
  • Margaret C. A. Owino, Kenya, Oywa Cookit solar cooker
  • Gloria Asare Adu, Ghana, Global Bamboo Products
  • Alexandra Graham, Nigeria, La Gray pharmaceutical production
  • J.M Ghartey, Ghana, Juliette’s Garden Floriculture
  • Heather Badger, Ghana, high end gift items
  • Simi Belo, Nigeria, NewHair wig design
  • Elizabeth Maldini, Ghana, Elsa Foods
  • Mary C. Kalikawe, Tanzania, ecotourism
  • Ester Afua Ocloo (posthumous), Ghana, Nkulenu Industries

Women Mayors of major cities around the world

As compiled in August 2016 on the Women in International Politics website.

Europe

  • Bulgaria, Sofia: Yordanka Fandakova
  • Czech Republic, Prague: Adriana Krnáčová
  • France, Paris: Anne Hidalgo
  • France, Lille: Martine Aubry
  • Germany, Cologne:  Henriette Reker
  • Germany, Dresden: Helma Orosz
  • Italy, Rome: Virginia Raggi
  • Italy, Turin: Chiara Appendino
  • Italy, Genoa: Marta Vincenzi
  • Luxembourg, Luxembourg City: Lydie Polfer
  • Norway, Oslo: Marianne Borgen
  • Norway, Bergen: Marte Mjøs Persen
  • Norway, Trondheim: Rita Ottervik
  • Poland, Warsaw: Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz
  • Romania, Bucharest: Gabriela Firea
  • Spain, Madrid: Manuela Carmena
  • Spain, Barcelona: Ada Colau
  • Switzerland, Geneva: Esther Alder
  • Switzerland, Zurich: Corine Mauch
  • Sweden, Malmo: Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh
  • United Kingdom, Glasgow: Sadie Docherty

North and South America

  • Argentina, Rosario: Mónica Fein
  • Brazil, Natal: Micarla de Sousa
  • Canada, Surrey: Linda Hepner
  • Canada, Mississauga: Bonnie Crombie
  • Chile, Santiago de Chile: Carolina Tohá
  • Mexico, Monterrey: Margarita Arellanes Cervantes
  • Peru, Lima: Susana Villarán
  • USA, Washington DC: Muriel Bowser
  • USA, Las Vegas: Carolyn Goodman
  • USA, Baltimore: Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
  • Uruguay, Montevideo: Ana Olivera

Asia and Australasia

  • Australia, Darwin, North Territory: Katrina Fong Lim
  • Australia, Sydney: Clover Moore
  • India, Pune: Vaishali Bankar
  • India, South Delhi: Savita Gupta
  • Iraq, Baghdad: Zekra Alwach
  • Japan, Tokyo: Yuriko Koike
  • Japan, Yokohama: Fumiko Hayashi
  • New Zealand, Wellington: Celia Wade-Brown
  • New Zealand, Christchurch: Lianne Dalziel
  • Philippines, Zamboanga City: Maria Isabelle Climaco Salazar
  • Taiwan, Kaohsiung: Chen Chu

Africa

  • Liberia, Monrovia:  Mary Broh
  • Sierra Leone, Koidu: Mary Musa
  • South Africa, Cape Town: Patricia de Lille

Black Women in Europe Power Lists

The website Black Women in Europe has compiled Power Lists in 201020112012201320142015, 2016, and 2017, to acknowledge powerful black women in Europe and to inspire others to reach their full potential. Please note that the criteria is that they wield power, and you may disagree with the politics of how some of them wield this power.

2017 Power List

  • Erma Manoncourt, France, Founder and President of M&D Consulting
  • Tokie Laotan-Brown, Germany/Nigeria, Architectural Technologist
  • Aysha Jones, Sweden/Gambia, social activist and fashion entrepreneur
  • Nicole Crentsil, UK, Co-founder of Black Girl Festival
  • Paula Akpan, UK, Co-founder of Black Girl Festival

2016 Power List

  • Amma Assante, UK, Award-Winning Filmmaker
  • Ellen Brudet, the Netherlands, Creator of dolls of color
  • Sophia James, UK, 1st Black Female Reading Councillor
  • Jennifer Tosch, the Netherlands, Founder of Black Heritage Tours
  • Monique Wells, France, Académie de l’Art Culinaire du Monde Créole

2015 Power List

  • Arabella Kiesbauer, Austria, Journalist and TV Personality
  • Arlette Bomahou, Ireland, world power lifting champion
  • Chi-chi Nwanoku MBE, UK, founder Chinike! music foundation
  • Maggie Aderin-Pocock, UK, space scientist and TV presenter
  • Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, Germany, Parliamentarian

2014 Power List

  • Tina Turner Bach, USA, singer and actor
  • Cecilia Gärding, Sweden, Film producer and director, musician
  • Alice Bah Kuhnke, Sweden, Minister for Culture and Democracy
  • Gloria Mika, Greece, Model and human rights advocate
  • Shanaze Reade, UK, three times BMX world champion

2013 Power List

  • Rioch Edwards-Brown, UK, Founder So You Wanna Be In TV?
  • Obiocha A. Ikezogwo, UK, 2013 MILEAD Fellow
  • Cécile Kyenge Kashetu, Italy, Minister for Integration
  • Emma McQuiston, England, Viscountess Weymouth
  • Justina Mutale, UK, Founder & CEO Positive Runway
  • Ade Onilude, UK, Founder Women in Marketing Awards
  • Claire Requa, Denmark Award winning jewelry designer
  • Susan Enie Muyang Tatah, Germany, Founder Int. African Festival

2012 Power List

  • Bola Agbaje, England, Award-Winning Playwright
  • Fatou Bensouda, Netherlands,  Chief Prosecutor Int. Criminal Court
  • Natalie Louise Brown, England, Talk Show Host
  • Baroness Cécile de Massy, Monaco, Philanthropist
  • Doreen Lawrence, England, Activist and Writer
  • Pauline Long, England Founder of BEFFTA
  • Loreen, Sweden,  Singer 2012 Eurovision Song Contest winner
  • Mariam Osman Sherifay, Sweden, Politician and Activist
  • Yvonne Thompson, UK, Entrepreneur
  • Mirel Wagner, Finland, Singer and Songwriter
  • Zuzana Tvarůžková, Czech Republic TV News Presenter

2011 Power List

  • Andrea Adams, Italy, Co-founder of Travelista TV
  • Urszula Bhebhe, Poland’s first black athletic champion
  • Malorie Blackman, UK, Literature, Award Winning Writer
  • Alina Buchschacher, Lifestyle, Miss Switzerland 2011
  • Maryse Condé, France, Literature, Award Winning Writer
  • Noella Coursaris, UK, Lifestyle, Model and Philanthropist
  • Rougui Dia, Lifestyle, France, Head chef at 144 Petrossian
  • Rokhaya Diallo, Social Activism, France, Founder of Les Indivisibles
  • Rose Dieng-Kuntz, France, Science (Posthumous Award)
  • Waris Dirie, Austria, Social Activism, campaigner against FGM
  • Melinda Victoria Elvenes , Lifestyle, Miss Norway Universe 2010
  • Huguette Fatna, France, Politics, member of National Front Party
  • Kathleen Ferrier, Netherlands, Politics, Member of Parliament
  • Carlene Firmin, UK, Social Activism, MBE
  • Mercedes Frias, Italy, Politics, First black member of Parliament
  • Steffi Jones, Germany, Athletics, Pres 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup
  • Iman Kerigo, Lifestyle, Miss Norway 2010
  • Brenda King, England, Social Activism, Commissioner WNC
  • Aïssa Maïga, France, Lifestyle, Actress
  • Kornelia Donato Mango, Russia, Music, Singer, Artist, TV Star
  • Inna Modja, France, Music, Pop star, fashion icon
  • Saido Mohamed, Finland, Social Activism, Finnish Somalia Network
  • Funmi Odegbami, England, Business  & Entrepreneurship
  • Lola Odusoga-Wallinkoski, Finland, TV Presenter
  • Safia Otokoré, France, Politics, VP Regional Council of Burgundy
  • Lorraine Pascale, England, Business & Entrepreneurship
  • George Pau-Langevin, France, Politics, Member of Parliament
  • Igiaba Scego, Italy, Literature, Award-winning author
  • Patricia Sellers, England, Law, Special Legal Advisor to UNHCHR
  • Mary Lee Sjönell, Sweden, Media, Producer
  • Hapsatou Sy, France, Business & Entrepreneurship
  • Pamela Thomas-Graham, Switzerland, Business & Entrepreneurship
  • Victoria Walldin, Sweden, Lifestyle , Anthropologist
  • Virginia Wangare-Greiner, Germany, Social Activism, Founder of Maisha
  • Rhoda Wilson, England, Media, TV Host

2010 Power List

  • Diane Abbott, Politics, England
  • Zahra Abdulla, Politics, Finland
  • Beatrice Achaleke, NGO, Austria
  • Glory Alozie, Lifestyle, Spain
  • Dounne Alexander, Business, England
  • Baroness Valerie Amos, Politics, England
  • Samata Angel, Business, England
  • Princess Angela, Lifestyle, Liechtenstein
  • Benedicta Attoh, Social Entrepreneur, Ireland
  • Floella Benjamin, Lifestyle, England
  • Grace Bumbry, Lifestyle, Austria
  • Naomi Campbell, Lifestyle, England
  • Sandy Cane, Politics, Italy
  • Rosemary Chileshe, Lifestyle, England
  • Lisa Cooper, Business, Norway
  • Othella Dallas, Lifestyle, Switzerland
  • Gaitana Essami, Lifestyle, Ukraine
  • Joan Ferrier, NGO, Netherlands
  • Trisha Goddard, Media, England
  • Naide Gomes, Lifestyle, Portugal
  • Tonya Graves, Lifestyle Czech Republic
  • Bonnie Greer, Lifestyle, England
  • Caroline Henderson, Lifestyle, Denmark
  • Barbara Hendricks, Lifestyle, Sweden
  • Dame Kelly Holmes, Lifestyle, England
  • Sirelda Jackson, Business, Netherlands
  • Danitzah Jacobs, Business, Netherlands
  • Yvette Jarvis, Politics, Greece
  • Yana Johnson, Business, England
  • Sandrine Joseph, Business, France
  • Yelena Khanga, Lifestyle, Russia
  • Grada Kilomba, Lifestyle, Germany
  • Kanya King, Business, England
  • Oona King, Politics, England
  • Matilda MacAttram, Social Activism, England
  • Gisele Mandaila, Politics, Belgium
  • Lucia Mwihaki Kimani Marcetic, Athlete, Bosnia & Herzegovina
  • Ottey Marlene, Lifestyle, Slovenia
  • Caroline Marsh, Business, England
  • Salome Mbugua, Social Entrepreneur, Ireland
  • Gabrielle Kirk McDonald, Lifestyle, Netherlands
  • Alison Bethel McKenzie, Media, Austria
  • Marie Ndiaye, Lifestyle, France
  • Kay Oldroyd, Social Entrepreneur
  • England, Euzhan Palcy, Lifestyle, France
  • Audrey Pulvar, Media, France
  • Sandra Rafaela, Politics, Netherlands
  • Nyamko Sabuni, Politics, Sweden
  • Baroness Patricia Scotland, Politics, England
  • Zadie Smith, Lifestyle, England
  • Noah Sow, Lifestyle, Germany
  • Veye Tatah, Media, Germany
  • Christiane Taubira, Politics, France
  • Chika Unigwe, Lifestyle, Belgium
  • Valerie van de Kaa, Business, Netherlands
  • Lori van Echtelt, Business, Netherlands
  • Felicia Weathers, Lifestyle, Germany
  • Rama Yade, Politics, France

L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science International Awards 

L’Oréal and UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) make annual awards to promote science and identify outstanding women scientists. The following are the national awards for UK and Ireland, and the international awards for the five global regions of Africa and Arab States, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America.

L’Oréal-UNESCO Awards, UK & Ireland

  • 2018 Yanlan Mao, University College London, cell and tissue repair
  • 2018 Emma Liu, University of Cambridge, volcanology research,
  • 2018 Nicola Farrer, University of Oxford, anti-cancer drugs
  • 2018 Nathiya Muthalagu, Beatson Institute for Cancer Research
  • 2018 Lucia Prieto-Godino, Francis Crick, neuroscience
  • 2017 Radha Boya, University of Manchester, Nanoscience
  • 2017 Annie Curtis, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Immunology
  • 2017 Manju Kurian, UCL Institute of Child Health, Cerebral palsy
  • 2017 Bethan Psaila, University of Oxford, Haematology; Myelofibrosis
  • 2017 Priya Subramanian, University of Leeds, Non-repeating quasicrystals
  • 2016 Sophie Acton, University College London, tumour progression
  • 2016 Maria Bruna, University of Oxford, particle systems
  • 2016 Sam Giles, University of Oxford, early fishes
  • 2016 Tanya Hutter, University of Cambridge, chemical sensors
  • 2016 Louisa Messenger, London School of Hygiene, chagas disease
  • 2015 Paola Crippa, University of Newcastle, matter pollution
  • 2015 Joanne Durgan, Babraham Inst Cambridge, cancer research
  • 2015 Aarti Jagannath, University of Oxford, body clock
  • 2015 Rita Tojeiro, University of St Andrew, bright stars to dark energy
  • 2015 Tríona Ní Chonghaile, University College Dublin, breast cancer
  • 2014 Tracy Briggs, University of Manchester, single-gene disorders
  • 2014 Eva-Maria Graefe, Imperial College London, quantum systems
  • 2014 Clémence Blouet, University of Cambridge, obesity research
  • 2014 Sneha Malde, University of Oxford, matter and anti-matter
  • 2013 Emily Jones, Birkbeck University, Cognitive development
  • 2013 Suchitra Sebastian, University of Cambridge, Physics
  • 2013 Katie Hampson, University of Glasgow, Canine rabies
  • 2013 Tracey Gloster, University of St. Andrews, Biology
  • 2012 Silvia Giordani, Trinity College Dublin, Chemistry
  • 2012 Katrina Lythgoe, Imperial College London, Evo Epidemiology
  • 2012 Claire Spottiswoode, University of Cambridge, Evo Biology
  • 2012 Geetha Srinivasan, Queen’s University Belfast, Chemistry
  • 2011 Victoria Coker, University of Manchester, Environmental
  • 2011 Emily Flashman, University of Oxford, Oxygen sensing
  • 2011 Monika Gullerova, University of Oxford, Gene loop structures
  • 2010 Pia Mukherjee, University of Sussex, Astronomy
  • 2010 Nathalie Pettorelli, Zoological Soc of London, Conservation
  • 2010 Dora Biro, University of Oxford, Bird migration
  • 2010 Lourdes Basabe-Desmonts, Dublin City University, Stem cells
  • 2009 Jennifer Bizley, University of Oxford, Perception of sound
  • 2009 Patricia Alireza, University College London, Electronic transitions
  • 2009 Nathalie Seddon, University of Oxford, Animal communication
  • 2009 Elizabeth Murchison, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cancer
  • 2008 Sarah Bridle, University College London, Dark universe
  • 2008 Ashleigh Griffin, University of Edinburgh, Microbial infections
  • 2008 Tamsin Mather, University of Oxford, Volcanic volatiles
  • 2008 Sarah Reece, University of Edinburgh, Protozoan parasites
  • 2007 Theresa Burt de Perera, University of Oxford, Zoology
  • 2007 Seirian Sumner, Institute of Zoology, Evolutionary biology
  • 2007 Araxi Urrutia Odabachian, Cardiff University, Genetics
  • 2007 Anna Git, Cancer Research UK Cambridge, Oncology

L’Oréal-UNESCO Laureates, Africa and Arab States

  • 2018 Heather Zar, South Africa, Research in pneunomia, tuberculosis, asthma
  • 2017 Niveen Khashab, Saudi Arabia, Nanoparticles in detecting disease
  • 2016 Quarraisha Abdool Karim, South Africa, HIV research
  • 2015 Rajaâ Cherkaoui El Moursli, Morocco, High Energy and Nuclear Physics
  • 2014 Segenet Kelemu, Kenya, Insect physiology and ecology
  • 2013 Francisca Nneka Okeke, Nigeria, Climate change
  • 2012 Jill Farrant, South Africa, Plant molecular physology
  • 2011 Faiza Al-Kharafi, Kuwait, Electrochemistry
  • 2010 Rashika El Ridi, Egypt, Immunology
  • 2009 Tebelio Nyokong, South Africa, Cancer therapy
  • 2008 Lihadh Al-Gazali, United Arab Emirates, Clinical genetics
  • 2007 Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Mauritius, Organic chemistry/phytochemistry
  • 2006 Habiba Bouhamed Chaabouni, Tunisia, Human genetics
  • 2005 Zohra Ben Lakhdar, Tunisia, Atomic and molecular physics
  • 2004 Jennifer Thompson, South Africa, Molecular biology
  • 2003 Karimat El-Sayed, Egypt, Physics
  • 2002 Nagwa Meguid, Egypt, Human genetics
  • 2001 Adeyinka Gladys Falusi, Nigeria, Molecular genetics
  • 2000 Valerie Mizrahi, South Africa, Molecular biology
  • 1998 Grace Oladunni L Tayor, Nigeria, Biochemistry

L’Oréal-UNESCO Laureates, Asia-Pacific

  • 2018 Meemann Chang, China, Fossil records on aquatuc vertebrates
  • 2017 Michelle Simmons, Australia, Quantum computers
  • 2016 Hualan Chen, China, biology of the bird flu virus
  • 2015 Yi Xie, China, Inorganic Chemistry
  • 2014 Kayo Inaba, Japan, Immune system
  • 2013 Reiko Kuroda, Japan, Neurodegenerative diseases
  • 2012 Ingrid Scheffer, Australia, Pediatric neurology
  • 2011 Vivian Wing-Wah Yam, China, Chemistry and energy
  • 2010 Lourdes J. Cruz, Philippines, Marine science
  • 2009 Akiko Kobayashi, Japan, Organic metals
  • 2008 V Narry Kim, Korea, Molecular biology
  • 2007 Margaret Brimble, New Zealand, Medicinal chemistry
  • 2006 Jennifer Graves, Australia, Mammalian genomics
  • 2005 Fumiko Yonezawa, Japan, Physics of disordered systems
  • 2004 Nancy IP, China, Molecular biology
  • 2003 Fang-hua Li, China, Electron microscopy
  • 2002 Indira Nath, India, Immunology
  • 2001 Susanne Cory, Australia, Molecular genetics
  • 2000 Tuneko Okasaki, Japan, Molecular biology
  • 1998 Myeong Hee-Yu, Korea, Microbiology

L’Oréal-UNESCO Laureates, Europe

  • 2018 Caroline Dean, UK, Adaptation of plants to climate change
  • 2017 Nicola Spaldin, Switzerland, Next generation electronic devices
  • 2016 Emmanuelle Charpentier, Germany, Infection biology
  • 2015 Carol Robinson, UK, Physical Chemistry & Mass Spectrometry
  • 2014 Brigitte Kieffer, France, Molecular biology
  • 2013 Pratibha Gai, UK, Chemistry
  • 2012 Frances Ashcroft, UK, Molecular physiology
  • 2011 Anne L’Huilleer, Sweden, Attosecond physics
  • 2010 Anne Dejean-Assemat, France, Cancer treatment
  • 2009 Athene M Donald, UK, Soft matter physics
  • 2008 Ada Yonath, Israel, Structural biology
  • 2007 Tatiana Brishtein, Russia, Polymer physics
  • 2006 Christine Van Broeckhoven, Belgium, Molecular genetics
  • 2005 Dominique Langevin, France, Soft matter physics
  • 2004 Christine Petit, France, Genetics/sensory physiology
  • 2003 Ayse Erzan, Turkey, Condensed matter physics
  • 2002 Mary Osborn, Germany, Cell biology
  • 2001 Anne McLaren, UK, Reproductive biology
  • 2000 Margarita Salas, Spain, Molecular biology
  • 1998 Pascale Cossart, France, bacteriology

L’Oréal-UNESCO Laureates, Latin America

  • 2018 Amy Austin, Argentina, Terrestrial ecosystem ecology
  • 2017 Maria Teresa Ruiz, Chile, Brown dwarfs
  • 2016 Andrea Gamarnik, Argentina, Molecular virology
  • 2015 Thaisa Storchi Bergmann, Brazil, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2014 Cecilia Bouzat, Argentina, Brain cell communication
  • 2103 Marcia Barbosa, Brazil, Proteins and disease
  • 2012 Susana Lopez, Mexico, Virology
  • 2011 Silvia Torres-Peimbert, Mexico, Astrophysics
  • 2010 Alejandro Bravo, Mexico, Biotechnology
  • 2009 Beatrice Barbuy, Brazil, Evolution of stars
  • 2008 Ana Belen Elgoyhen, Argentina, Auditory physiology
  • 2007 Ligia Gargola, Chile, Macromolecular chemistry
  • 2006 Esther Orozco, Mexico, Molecular pathology
  • 2005 Belita Koiller, Brazil, Condensed matter physics
  • 2004 Lucia Mendonca Previato, Brazil, Biophysics/parasitology
  • 2003 Mariana Weissmann, Argentina, Condensed matter physics
  • 2002 Ana Maria Lopez Colome, Mexico, Neuroscience/biochemistry
  • 2001 Mayana Zatz, Brazil, Molecular biology
  • 2000 Eugenia Marie Del Pino Veintimilla, Ecuador, Biology
  • 1998 Gloria Montenegro, Chile, Botany

L’Oréal-UNESCO Laureates, North America

  • 2018 Janet Rossant, Canada, Formation of developing emryo
  • 2017 Zhenan Bao, USA, Skin-inspired electronic materials
  • 2016 Jennifer Doudna, USA, Molecular and cell biology
  • 2015 Molly S. Shoichet, Canada, Polymer Chemistry
  • 2014 Laurie Glimcher, USA, Immune responses
  • 2013 Deborah JIN, USA, Cooling of molecules
  • 2012 Bonnie Bassler, USA, Microbiology
  • 2011 Jillian Banfield, USA, Geochemistry/microbiology
  • 2010 Elaine Fuchs, USA, Stem cells
  • 2009 Eugenia Kumacheva, Canada, Polymers
  • 2008 Elisabeth Blackburn, USA, Molecular biology
  • 2007 Mildred Dresselhaus, USA, Nanotechnology
  • 2006 Pamela Bjorkman, USA, Molecular biology/immunology
  • 2005 Myriam P Sarachik, USA, Condensed matter physics
  • 2004 Philippa Marrack, USA, Molecular biology/immunology
  • 2003 Johanna MH Levelt Singers, USA, thermodynamics
  • 2002 Shirley Tilghman, USA, Genetics
  • 2001 Joan Argetsinger Steitz, USA, Molecular biophysics/biochemistry
  • 2000 Joanne Chory, USA, Molecular biology

Organization for Women in Science in the Developing World Awards and Fellowships

OWSD (The Organization for Women in Science in the Developing World) strengthens the role of women scientists from the South in the development process and in scientific and technological leadership. It awards fellowships and grants in association with The Elsevier Foundation, and now also with TWAS (The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World).

OWSD & Elsevier Foundation Awardees

ASIA

  • 2011 Biology Mahfuza Begum, Bangladesh, Bangladesh Agricultural U
  • 2011 Chemistry Farzana Shaheen, Pakistan, U of Karacji
  • 2011 Physics/Maths Rukmani Mohonta, India, U of Hyderabad
  • 2010 Biology Zeng Fanyi, China, Shanghai Institute of Medical Genetics
  • 2010 Chemistry Ilkay Orhan, Turkey, Gazi University, Ankara
  • 2010 Physics/Maths Priya Mahadevan, India, S.N. Bose Centre, Kolkata

AFRICA

  • 2011 Biology Denise Evans, South Africa, U of the Witwatersrand
  • 2011 Chemistry Aderoju Amoke Osowole, Nigeria, U of Ibadan
  • 2011 Physics/Maths Janet Ayobami Ademola, Nigeria, U of Ibadan
  • 2010 Biology Uchechi Ekweny Nigeria, Okpara U of Agriculture, Umudike
  • 2010 Chemistry Ndidiamaka Anthonet Ezejiofor, Nigeria, Abia State U
  • 2010 Physics/Maths Christine Margarete Steenkamp, SA, U of Stellenbosch

ARAB REGION

  • 2011 Biology Lubna Tahtamouni, Jordan, Hashemite U
  • 2011 Chemistry Nahla Ismail, Egypt, Nat Research Centre
  • 2010 Biology Ghada Abdel-Salam, Egypt, Nat Research Centre
  • 2010 Chemistry Lilyan Alsaka, Iraq, Mosul University
  • 2010 Physics/Maths Sakina Fakhraddin Adam Ali, Yemen, Sana’a U

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

  • 2011 Biology Lisset Hermida Cruz, Cuba, Centre for Genetics & Biotech
  • 2011 Chemistry Silvana Pellegrinet, Argentina, U Nacional de Rosario
  • 2011 Physics/Maths Maria Gonzalez Sanchez, Mexico, Inst Astronomia
  • 2010 Biology Myriam Adela Amezcua-Allieri, Mexico, Inst of Petroleum
  • 2010 Chemistry Aramis Rivera, Cuba, University of Havana
  • 2010 Physics/Maths Aimé Pelaiz-Barranco, Cuba, University of Havana

OWSD Fellowships 2012

  • Rokeya Begum, Bangladesh, Economic extraction of pectin
  • Jannatara Khatun, Bangladesh, Veterinary and Animal Sciences
  • Noor Shaila Sarmin, Bangladesh, Monitoring of forest for Tsunami
  • Alice Bonou, Benin, Climate change and indigenous edible plants
  • Koupamba Sinasson Sanni, Benin, Mimusops andongensis Hiern
  • Sylvie Djiomba Njankou, Cameroon, HIV-Related Lymphomas
  • Aurelie Djoumessi Songfack, Cameroon, Anti-cancer evaluation
  • Sonia Kenfack Voukeng, Cameroon, Biotic factors in Eich-crassipes
  • Stanard Mebwe Pachong, Cameroon, Cancer Tissue Growth
  • Clarisse Yafi Njua, Cameroon, Malaria Research
  • Kikongo Ntabugi, Congo, Pollution in water of Bukavu rivers
  • Cynthia Nkoua-Badzi, Congo, Congolese plants and malaria
  • Almaz Gezahegn, Ethiopia, Nutrients in Wheat Cropping System
  • Rediet Sitotaw Kebede, Ethiopia, Wild edible Mushrooms in Ethiopia
  • Tigist Shonte, Ethiopia, Nutritional quality of stinging nettles
  • Cynthia Laar, Ghana, Hydrogeochemical Pathways in wetlands
  • Ann Mwaura, Kenya, Genetic structure of three land snail species
  • Martha Okumu, Kenya, weed density and diversity in crop rotations
  • Zaliah Ahitantsoa, Madagascar, Sustainable dev of fish farming
  • Jacqueline Kazembe, Malawi, Genetic variation and aquaculture
  • Nene Galle Kide, Mauritania, Genetic differentiation of Cichlidae
  • Cho Cho Htay, Myanmar, Biological Control Activities of Trichoderma
  • Nan Su San, Myanmar, rice blast resistance in Myanmar rice
  • Wah Wah Lwin, Myanmar, QTL analysis for yield related traits
  • Foluso Abiodun Adedeji, Nigeria, Security in Cognitive Radio Network
  • Bridget Aito Bobadoye, Nigeria, afrotropical stingless bees
  • Olufemi Ajagun-Ogunleye, Nigeria, dietary intakes during stress
  • Abidemi Demehin, Nigeria, organometallics and new drugs
  • Uregwu Edia-Asuke, Nigeria, hazard analyses of pig abattoirs
  • Omasan Ejoh, Nigeria, Biodegradation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls
  • Mutiat Ibrahim, Nigeria, major constituents of endophytic fungi
  • Omobolanle Janet Jesumoroti, Nigeria, Anti-HIV Protease
  • Amarachukwu Obayiuwana, Nigeria, antibiotic-resistance of bacteria
  • Ayokunmi Oyeleye. Nigeria, protection of Milicia exelsa
  • Agnes Mbonyiryivuze, Rwanda, Indigenous natural dyes for solar cells
  • Henriette Niragire, Rwanda, sorption properties of chitosan
  • Sara Abdalla Khidir Saeed, Sudan, Strucutre of Phlebotomus orientalis
  • Edam Manahil, Sudan, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia
  • Wegdan Mohammed Mustafa Ahmed, Sudan, brain morphometry
  • Nahla Shamseldin Elsiddig, Sudan, T helper-17 cells, disease activity
  • Sahar Sharef, Sudan, alterations of temporal lobe in autism
  • Esther Agatha Marijani, Tanzania, Prevalence of mycotoxins in fish feeds
  • Ruth Nahurira, Uganda, vegetation of Lake Mburo National Park
  • Sylvie Tebitendwa, Uganda, Waste stabilization in ponds and wetlands
  • Josephine Jere, Zimbabwe, controling Xam causing bacterial blight
  • Zviregei Jiri, Zimbabwe, Active biomonitoring of rivers in Zimbabwe

OWSD Fellowships 2011

  • Afsana Ansari, Bangladesh, in Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
  • Mst. Tuhina Khatun, Bangladesh, in University Putra Malaysia (UPM)
  • Sesede Houefa Norliette Zossou, Benin, in Université Cheik Anta Diop
  • Angele Sorel Achounna, Cameroon, in Uni Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
  • Amoin Cecile Bieri, Côte d’Ivoire, in CSIR Biosciences, South Africa
  • Banchiamlak Kebede, Ethiopia, Institute of Pure and Applied Maths, Brazil
  • Betelehem Wondwosen, Ethiopia, in Insect Science for Food/Health, Kenya
  • Mildred Awuor Airo, Kenya, in University of Witswatersrand, South Africa
  • Nancy Unjemo Madigu, Kenya, in University of Botswana
  • Joyce Kanini Omari, Kenya, in University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
  • Lovanomenjanahary Marline, Madagascar, in University of Cape Town SA
  • Khin Mar Oo, Myanmar, in Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
  • Amy Thein, Myanmar, in Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
  • Grace Onyukwo Abakpa, Nigeria, in Universiti Putra Malaysia
  • Oluwasola Mary Fasan, Nigeria, in University of Pretoria, South Africa
  • Racheal Odiri Ogbodu, Nigeria, in Rhodes University, South Africa
  • Andree Prisca Ndjoug Ndour, Senegal, in Rhodes University, South Africa
  • Samah Kamil Hussein Abd El-Rahim, Sudan, in Universiti Putra Malaysia
  • Mei Musa Ali Omar, Sudan, in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
  • Nodar Osman Khalifa, Sudan, in Council for Scientific/Ind Research, India
  • Nozipho Mgcibelo Motsa, Swaziland, in University of KwaZulu Natal SA
  • Racheal Athieno, Uganda, in Rhodes University, South Africa
  • Namayanja, Uganda, in Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, China
  • Fiona Banda, Zimbabwe, in Rhodes University, South Africa
  • Patience Chatukuta, Zimbabwe, in North-West University, South Africa

Graduate Women International Speakers

Graduate Women International (formerly the International Federation of University Women) promotes women’s rights, equality and empowerment through access to quality education and training. It hosts a major conference every three years. The last four have been in South Africa, Turkey, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

Selected speakers in South Africa 2016

  • Catherine Bell, President Graduate Women International
  • Matsie Angelina Motshekga, Minister of Basic Education, South Africa
  • Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and Technology, South Africa
  • Saniye Gulser Corat, UNESCO’s Director of Gender Equality
  • Baratang Miya, GirlHype
  • Carla Licciardello, International Telecommunications Union
  • Sally Chamberlain, Women Graduates USA
  • Apoorv Bamba, Startup Safari
  • Deirdre Ahern, Assistant Professor and Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin
  • Felicity Coughlan, Independent Institute of Education
  • Rovani Sigamoney, UNESCO
  • Anisa Khan, British Council’s Newton Project
  • Jade Mathieson, Sea Monster

Selected speakers in Turkey 2013

Selected speakers in Mexico 2010 and UK 2007

  • Kyung-wha Kang, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
  • Olga Sánchez Cordero, Justice of the Mexican Supreme Court
  • Patricia Espinosa, Mexican Foreign Secretary
  • Eileen Fegan, law lecturer at Oxford and Queen’s Belfast
  • Felicity Coughlan, Director Independent Instit of Education South Africa
  • Helen Sunhee Kim, Organizational development consultant and trainer
  • Frances Kunreuther, Director of the Building Movement Project
  • Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland
  • Gillian Martin Mehers, Coordinator for World Conservation Union
  • Shirley Randell, Convener of IFUW Projects Committee
  • Christina von Furstenberg, UNESCO
  • Elaine Unterhalter, University of London School of Education
  • Conchita Poncini, Co-ordinator of IFUW Reps at the UN in Geneva
  • Elisabeth Rehn, United Nations Under-Secretary General

Selected papers from IFUW, Mexico 2010

Selected papers from IFUW, UK 2007


PART THREE – UNITED STATES

Speakers at CFI Women in Secularism Conference 2012

New speakers at CFI Women in Secularism Conference 2013

New speakers at CFI Women in Secularism Conference 2014

New speakers at CFI Women in Secularism Conference 2016

  • Rafida Bonya Ahmed, activist and author, Bangladesh
  • Robyn Blumner, CEO Centre for Inquiry, President RDFRS
  • Melanie Brewster, professor of psychology and education
  • Johnetta Elzie, protester and organiser, Ferguson
  • Sarah Haider, writer, speaker, and activist
  • Rebecca Hale, president American Humanist Association
  • Wendy Kaminer, lawyer, author and social critic
  • Linda LaScola, author and qualitative research consultant
  • Ashley Miller, writer, activist, and communications scholar
  • Maryam Namazie, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
  • Kavin Senapathy, author, cofounder of March Against Myths
  • Janet Stemwedel, professor of Philosophy
  • Kayley Whalen, Digital Strategies Manager US LGBTQ Task Force
  • Emily Willingham, science writer, editor, university instructor

The Secular Woman Speakers Bureau, USA

  • See here for further topics and contact details
  • Trinity Aodh: Social justice, queer/transgender issues, bullying
  • Brandi Braschler: Secular woman, organizing groups, activism
  • Ania Bula: Pseudoscience and Women, Alternative Medicine
  • Charlotte Classon: Secular woman, atheism and feminism
  • Heina Dadabhoy: Islam, New Atheism, feminism
  • Kate Donovan: Pseudoscience, Alt medicine, mental health
  • Vyckie Garrison: Christian Polygamy and the Biblical Family
  • Bridget Gaudette: Secular woman, black atheism, cults, strategy
  • Noelle George: Team building, event planning, volunteering
  • Heatherly Hodges: Religion and child abuse, trauma
  • Jadehawk: Sociology and Social Theory topics relevant to secularism
  • Sarah Kaiser: Activism, blogging and other social media
  • Lauren Lane: Grassroots organizing, Women and Atheism
  • Lyz Liddell: Group-running, leadership, gender diversity strategies
  • Melanie Mallon: Humor as empowerment, secular parenting
  • MA Melby: Education, Navigating male dominated spaces
  • Ashley Miller: Film, TV, feminism, gay rights, activism, communication
  • Sarah Morehead: Recovering from religion, secular home-schooling
  • Autumn Reinhardt-Simpson: Reproductive Rights
  • Kim Rippere: Secular woman, atheism & feminism, feminism
  • Elsa Roberts: Secular woman, Christian fundamentalism
  • Brittany Shoots-Reinhardt: Applications of Psychology to Humanism
  • Corinne Zimmerman: Secular woman, atheism and feminism
  • Stephanie Zvan: Psychological pseudoscience, cognitive biases

University of Minnesota Distinguished Women Scholars Awards

The University of Minnesota gives annual Distinguished Women Scholars Awards named after Ada Louise Comstock, who was the University’s first Dean of Women in 1907. She later led Smith College, but was denied the title of president because she was a woman.

  • 2017 Ananya Chatterjea, Theater, Arts, and Dance
  • 2017 Lela Pierce, Painting
  • 2016: Sarah Hobbie, Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour
  • 2016 Joan G. Cox, Painting
  • 2015: Anna Clark, History
  • 2015 Jil Evans, Painting
  • 2014 Carol A. Lange, Medicine and Pharmacology
  • 2014 DC Ice, Painting
  • 2013: Denise Guerin, Interior Design
  • 2013 Sara Balbin, Sculpture
  • 2012 Karen Mesce, Entomology
  • 2012 Nickdokht (Nicky) Torkzadeh, Painting
  • 2011: Sally Gregory Kohlstedt, History of Science and Technology
  • 2011 Jude Ryan Reiling, Ceramics
  • 2010 Deborah Swackhamer, Chemistry & Public Health
  • 2010 Jude Ryan Reiling, Ceramics
  • 2009 Rose Brewer, African American & African Studies
  • 2009 Ida Kumoji-Ankrah, Textiles
  • 2009: Jane Davidson, Mechanical Engineering
  • 2009 Stacy Kelly, Glass
  • 2008 Sara Evans, History
  • 2008 Joyce Lyon, Lithography
  • 2008: Maria Gini, Computer Science and Engineering
  • 2008 Margaret Bohis, Ceramics
  • 2007 Joanne B. Eicher, Design, Housing, & Apparel
  • 2007 Judith Kinghorn, Metal
  • 2007: Catherine French, Civil Engineering
  • 2007 Maren Kloppmann, Ceramics
  • 2006 Karlyn Kohrs, Communication Studies
  • 2006 Joyce Lyon, Drawing
  • 2006: Ruth-Ellen B. Joeres, German, Scandinavian & Dutch
  • 2006 Christine Baeumier, Painting
  • 2005 Catherine Verfaillie, Stem Cell Institute
  • 2005 Harriet Bart, Sculpture

University of Minnesota Distinguished Women Scientists and Engineers Speakers Program

The University of Minnesota has hosted an annual lecture series to create greater visibility for distinguished women in their respective fields of science and engineering. Speakers included:

  • 2013-14 Yayoi Takamura, UC Davis
  • 2013-14 Shelley Anna, Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
  • 2013-14 Ruth Litovsky, COmmunicative Disorders, U Wisc
  • 2013-14 Joan Schmelz, NSF
  • 2013-14 Debra Rolison, US Naval Research Lab
  • 2013-14 Marti Hearst, Information and Computer Science, U Cal Berkeley
  • 2013-14 Suncica Canic, Mathematics, U Houston
  • 2012-13 Lisa Tauxe, UC San Diego
  • 2012-13 Paula Hammond, MIT
  • 2012-13 Anna Mazzucato, Penn State
  • 2012-13 Cindy Hasselbring, NSF Arlington VA
  • 2012-13 Lori Clarke, U Mass
  • 2011-12 Natalia Nikolova, Electrical & Computer Engineering, McMaster U
  • 2010-11 Aspasia Zerva, Civil, Architectural & Env Engineering, Drexel U
  • 2010-11 Kristi Kiick, Materials Science & Engineering, U of Delaware
  • 2009-10 Margaret Rossiter, History of Science, Cornell U
  • 2009-10 Margaret Martonosi, Electrical Engineering, Princeton U
  • 2009-10 Sheila Hemami, Electrical Engineering, Cornell U
  • 2009-10 Dawn Elliott, Orthopaedic Surgery & Bioengineering, U of Penn
  • 2008-09 Eva Andrei, Physics & Astronomy, Rutgers U
  • 2008-09 Joan Feigenbaum, Computer Science, Yale U
  • 2008-09 Mildred Dresselhaus, Electrical Engineering & Physics, MIT
  • 2008-09 Nancy Love, Civil & Environmental Engineering, U of Michigan
  • 2008-09 Margaret Tivey, Marine Chemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic
  • 2008-09 Sun-Yung Alice Chang, Mathematics, Princeton U
  • 2007-08 Leigh Royden, Geology & Geophysics, Mass Col of Science & Eng
  • 2006-07 Ann Karagozian, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UCLA
  • 2006-07 Holly Rushmeier, Computer Science, Yale U
  • 2006-07 Richelle Allen-King, Geology & Geophysics, U of Buffalo
  • 2006-07 Mary Jane Irwin, Computer Science & Engineering, Penn State U
  • 2006-07 Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo, Chemical Engineering, U of Texas at Austin
  • 2006-07 Fran Bagenal, Atmospheric & Space Physics, U of Colorado
  • 2006-07 Julia Weertman, Materials Science & Engineering, Northwestern U
  • 2005-06 Naomi Oreskes, History and Science, U of California, San Diego
  • 2005-06 Helen Reed, Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M U
  • 2005-06 Wendy Silk, Water Science and Plant Biology, U of California-Davis
  • 2005-06 Jane Maienschein, Life Sciences, Biology & Society, Arizona State U
  • 2005-06 Iwona Jasiuk, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, U of Illinois
  • 2004-05 Alexandra Navrotsky, Math & Physical Science, U of Cal Davis
  • 2004-05 Brenda Laurel, Media Design, Art Center Col of Design, Pasadena
  • 2004-05 Teresa Jordan, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell U
  • 2004-05 Jeannette Wing, Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon U
  • 2004-05 Jane Ammons, Engineering, Georgia Col of Science and Engineering
  • 2004-05 Meg Urry, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Yale U
  • 2004-05 Debra Rolison, Adv Electrochemical Materials, Naval Research Lab
  • 2003-04 Susan Coppersmith, Physics, U of Wisconsin, Madison
  • 2003-04 Maria Klawe, Engineering & Applied Science, Princeton U
  • 2003-04 Elaine Seymour, Ethnology, U of Colorado at Boulder
  • 2003-04 Alexandra Navrotsky, Math & Physical Science, U of Cal Davis
  • 2003-04 Vasu Varadan, Electrical Engineering, Pennsylvania State U
  • 2002-03 Barbara Grosz, Computer Science, Harvard U
  • 2002-03 Mildred Dresselhaus, Massachusetts Col of Science and Engineering
  • 2002-03 Geri Richmond, Chemistry, U of Oregon
  • 2002-03 Leslie Smith, Physics, Math & Eng, U of Wisconsin, Madison
  • 2002-03 Marcia McNutt, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Inst

APS Physics Women Speakers Program, United States of America

The American Physical Society has a Speakers List of women physicists who are willing to give talks on a variety of subjects. Physics Departments may qualify for travel grants if they host these speakers. I have listed below the names and abbreviated sample talks for US-based speakers. The full list, with more talks and contact details for the speakers, is here on the APS website.

APS Women Speakers, Alaska

  • Wackerbauer, Renate, U of Alaska-Fairbanks: Spatiotemporal chaos

APS Women Speakers, Arkansas

  • Allen, Susan, Arkansas State U: The Laser Dustbuster and Other Tools

APS Women Speakers, Arizona

  • Barlow, Nadine, Flagstaff, AZ: The Search for Water on Mars
  • Holbrook, Jarita, U of Arizona: Introduction fo African Cultural Astronomy
  • Levitus, Marcia, Arizona State: Conformational dynamics in biomolecules
  • Malhotra, Renu, U of Arizona: The architecture of the Solar system
  • Peng, Xihong, Arizona State: Predictive modeling for nanoscale system
  • Pitman, Karly, Planetary Science Inst:Producing Optical Constants
  • Sarcevic, Ina, U of Arizona: the Search for the Quark-Gluon Plasma

APS Women Speakers, California

  • Abramzon, Nina, Cal Poly – Pomona: Plasma – the 4th State of Matter
  • Ackerman, Nicole, Stanford U Med Ctr: Particle Physics in Medicine
  • Acrivos, Juana, San Jose State U: Periodic Table in Cuprate Superconductors
  • Back, Christina, San Diego: Exps on Hot, Dense Laser-Produced Plasmas
  • Baljon, Aarlette, San Diego: Topological structure of a polymeric gel
  • Bell, Nicole, Pasadena: Cosmic Neutrinos from Highest Energies to Lowest
  • Belz, Andrea, Jet Propulsion Lab: On becoming a multi-disciplinary scientist
  • Brown, Nancy, Lawrence Nat Lab: Theoretical and Exp Chemical Kinetics
  • Budil, Kimberly, Lawrence Nat Lab: Hydrodynamic Instability Experiments
  • Caponi, Maria, TRW Redondo Beach, CA: Wind Generated Ocean Waves
  • Carlson, Jean, U of Cal-Santa Barb: Dynamics of Earthquake Faults
  • Chen, Mu-Chun, U of Cal – Irvine: Physics beyond the Standard Model
  • Chiang, Shirley, U of Cal- Davis: The Scanning Tunneling Microscope
  • Church, Jennifer, Lawrence Lab: Transport/Detection of Nuclear Materials
  • Cohen, Judith, Caltech: The Local High Redshift Universe
  • Coil, Alison, La Jolla: Clustering and Quenching: Galaxies & AGN at z=1
  • Cominsky, Lynn, Sonoma State: Exploring the Extreme Universe with Fermi
  • Erbacher, Robin, Cal- Davis: Searches for new physics in top quark samples
  • Fearn, Heidi, Cal State – Fullerton: General relatvity and curved space
  • Fygenson, Deborah, Cal-Santa Barb: Assembly of Nanotubes from DNA Tiles
  • Gallagher, Sarah, Los Angeles: Probing Quasar Outflows: X-ray Insights
  • Ghosh, Sayantani, Cal: Manipulating spin coherence in semiconductors
  • Hansen, Luisa, Lawrence Lab: Transport & Detection of Nuclear Materials
  • Hanson, Gail, Cal – Riverside: Physics at the CERN Large Hadron Collider
  • Hellman, Frances, Cal- Berkeley: Amorphous magnetic semiconductors
  • Ho, Pei-Chun, Cal State U- Fresno: Unconventional Superconductivity
  • Houle, Frances, Lawrence Nat Lab: Mass-producing Nanostructures
  • Hu, Chi-Yu, Cal State- Long Beach: Muon Catalyzed Fusion
  • Jenkins, Elizabeth, U of Cal- San Diego: Particle Physics
  • Johnson, Sarah, La Verne, CA: A Search for Truth
  • Jones, Barbara, IBM Almaden: The Future of Nanotechnology
  • Kelley, Anne, Cal – Merced: Visualizing Fast Motions with Slow Lasers
  • Kellogg, Louise, Davis: The Driving Force of Plate Tectonics
  • Lindenberg, Katja, Cal – San Diego: Noise in Physical and Chemical Systems
  • Luth, Vera, Stanford U: Symmetries in Particle Physics
  • Nikzad, Shouleh. Jet Propulsion Lab: To See the World in A Grain of Sand
  • Opher, Merav, George Mason U: How to describe collisions in Plasmas
  • Ramachandran, Vidhya, IBM: Why are we afraid of Physics?
  • Rebull, Luisa, Caltech: Star formation with the Spitzer Space Telescope
  • Roe, Natalie, Lawrence Nat Lab: What’s The Matter With Antimatter?
  • Rohlfing, Celeste, Livermore: Theoretical Studies of Fullerenes/Derivatives
  • Roy, Mou, Norwalk, CA: High Energy Neutrino Physics
  • Sargent, Anneila, Pasadena, CA: The Origins of Planetary Systems
  • Schneider, Marilyn, Lawrence Nat Lab: Turbulent Mix in R-T Instability
  • Selco, Jodye, Cal Poly – Pomona: Is it Magic or is it Chemistry?
  • Siegal-Gaskins, Jennifer, Caltech: Shedding light on the nature of dark matter
  • Sohn, Lydia, Cal- Berkeley: Measuring Single Cells One by One
  • Terebey, Susan, Los Angeles: From Protostars to Planets
  • Trimble, Virginia, Cal- Irvine: Cosmology: Man’s Place in the Universe
  • Troian, Sandra, Caltech: The Nanoworld Beyond Benard Instabilities
  • Williams, Lynda, San Francisco: Science Education via Entertainment
  • Woolum, Dorothy, Cal State-Fullerton: Nucleosynthesis of Heavy Elements
  • Yeh, Nai-Chang, Caltech: Recent Advances in Superconductivity
  • van der Veen, Jatila, Santa Barbara: Hist of Cosmic Microwave Background

APS Women Speakers, Colorado

  • Bagenal, Fran, U of Col – Boulder: New Horizons: Mission to Pluto & Charon
  • Buchanan, Kristen, Col State U: A glimpse into the nanoworld
  • Calbi, Maria, U of Denver: Phases of matter adsorbed on carbon nanotubes
  • Chasteen, Stephanie, U of Col – Boulder: The Art of Science Communication
  • Dowell, Marla, Boulder: Laser Metrology: Three Cautionary Tales
  • Gilbert, Sarah, Boulder: Optical Fiber Communications: future trends
  • Hasenfratz, Anna, U of Col – Boulder: Walking towards a rainbow
  • Joselyn, JoAnn, Boulder: How scientists collaborate
  • Ladanyi, Branka, Col State U: Dynamics of nanoconfined liquids
  • Levinger, Nancy, Col State U: Dynamics of Polar Solvation in Restricted Envs
  • Menoni, Carmen, Col State U: Exploring nano-world with extreme UV light
  • Whitten, Barbara, Col Coll: You can always find women in science, if you look
  • Ellingson, Erica, Boulder: Cosmology, Dark Matter and Dark Energy

APS Women Speakers, Connecticut

  • Chow, C C, Central Conn State U: Physics and Everyday Life
  • Freed, Denise, Schlumberger-Doll Res Ctr: NMR and Oil Wells
  • Natarajan, Priyamvada, Yale U: Assembly history of black holes
  • Salman, Fatma, Manchester, CT: Encouraging young women to do physics

APS Women Speakers, District of Columbia  

  • Gatica, Silvina , Howard U: Adsorption of gases in nanotubes
  • Hicks, Janice, Georgetown U: Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
  • Horn, Tanja Catholic U of America: Quark Imaging at JLab 12 GeV & beyond
  • Larkin, Teresa, American U: Using Writing to Confront Misconceptions
  • Novo-Gradac, Anne-Marie, NASA Headquarters: An Introduction to Lasers
  • Opper, Allena, George Washington U: Exploring the Subatomic World
  • Pardavi-Horvath, Martha, George Wash U: Magnetism of Small Particles
  • Stroud, Rhonda, Naval Research Lab: Extraterrestrial materials
  • Turner, Kathleen, Dep of Energy – US: Discovering the Structure of Matter
  • Weinberger, Alycia, Caltech: Dusty Circumstellar Disks and Planet Formation

APS Women Speakers, Florida

  • Baudis, Laura, U of Florida – Gainesville: Dark matter searches
  • Blessing, Susan, Florida State U: Elementary Particle Physics
  • Cheng, Hai-Ping, U of Florida – Gainesville: Physical Modeling and Sims
  • Leventouri, Theodora, Atlantic U: Properties of Biocompatible Apatites
  • Luo, Weili, U of Central Florida: Magnetic Properties of Buckyballs
  • Montgomery, Michele, Orlando, FL: Disks Around Various Celestial Objects
  • Popovic, Dragana, Florida State U: Metal-insulator transition in 2D systems
  • Rahman, Talat, U of Central Florida: Nanoscience: facts or science fiction?
  • Single Molecule Magnets: could they be quantum computers?
  • Turner, Niescja, Florida Inst of Tech: The Perfect (Magnetic) Storm
  • Yunger Halpern, Nicole, Perimeter Inst: Creating Your Physics Club

APS Women Speakers, Georgia

  • Dunning, Sarah, U of Georgia: Pulse Interaction with Dielectrics
  • Halka, Monica, Georgia Inst of Tech: The Rare and Disappearing Elements
  • Kolakowska, Alice, U of Memphis: Complexity of parallel computing
  • Sullivan, Amy, Agnes Scott Coll: 3D Imaging Without Lenses

APS Women Speakers, Iowa

  • Mallik, Usha U of Iowa: Mysteries of Matter and Anti-Matter
  • Morgan, Siobahn Cedar Falls, IA: Peculiar Polaris
  • Rosati, Marzia Iowa State U: Making Little Big-Bangs at RHIC
  • Schmittmann, Beate Iowa State U: Out of equilibrium: genes, stocks, traffic

APS Women Speakers, Idaho  

  • Sammarruca, Francesca U of Idaho: How to Look Inside A Nucleus

APS Women Speakers, Illinois  

  • Ansari, Anjum U of Ill – Chicago: Hairpin formation in polynucleotides
  • Avci, Sevda Argonne Nat Lab: Magnetoelastic coupling in Ba1-xKxFe2As2
  • Biedron, Sandra Chicago, IL: Particle Accelerators and Free-Electron Lasers
  • The Need for Synchrotron Radiation Facilities
  • Bordallo, Heloisa Hahn-M Inst Berlin: Crystalline N-Methylacetamide
  • El-Khadra, Aida U of Ill – Urbana: Charm & Beauty of Strong Interactions
  • Finney, Lydia Lemont, IL: Imagine Yourself a Scientist like Me
  • Freeland, Elizabeth U of Ill – Urbana: Pushing Limits of Standard Model
  • Greene, Laura U of Illinois – Urbana: High-Temperature Superconductivity
  • Hess, Cynthia Illinois Wesleyan U: From Hot Gas to Black Holes
  • Incera, Vivian U of Texas, El Paso: Magnetism in Color Superconductivity
  • Katsnelson, Esfir Northwestern U: Ferrospinels and Magnetic Ferroelectrics
  • Lamb, Susan U of Illinois – Urbana: Galaxy Collisions & Star Clusters
  • Nandkumar, Radha U of Ill – Urbana: Science through cyberinfrastructure
  • Olinto, Angela U of Chicago: The Mystery of the Highest Energy Cosmic Rays
  • Ren, Shang-Fen Illinois State U: My Career as a Women Scientist
  • Sanchez, Mayly Iowa State U: Catching Neutrinos
  • Silber, Mary Northwestern U: Pattern Formation in Nonequilibrium Systems
  • Srinivas, Sudha Northeastern Ill U: Modeling Properties of Metal Clusters
  • Todd, Judith Chicago, IL: Laser-Based Prototyping of Ceramic Materials
  • Wark, Candace Illinois Inst of Tech: Exp Methods in Fluid Mechanics
  • Willis, Suzanne Northern Illinois U: Science or Bunk? Telling the Difference
  • Young, Linda Argonne Nat Lab: Counting rare atoms in traps

APS Women Speakers, Indiana  

  • Aprahamian, Ani: From Exploding Stars to the Lab
  • Bortoletto, Daniela Purdue U: The quest for the Higgs
  • Koertge, Noretta Bloomington: Are Feminists Alienating Women in Science?
  • Science, Values and the Value of Science
  • Mitra-Kirtley, Sudipa Rose-Hulman Inst: Studio physics using HP tablets

APS Women Speakers, Kansas  

  • Behrman, Elizabeth: Quantum Neural Networks – Next Generation Comps?
  • Dunmore, Jessica Leavenworth, KS: Mining for Neutrinos

APS Women Speakers, Louisiana  

  • Daniels-Race, Theda, Louisiana State U-BR: Hybrid Electronic Materials
  • Gonzalez, Gabriela Louisiana State U- Baton Rouge: Gravitational Waves
  • Ioup, Juliette U of New Orleans: Applications of Wavelet Transforms
  • Johnston, Kathleen Louisiana Tech U: Particle Physics in a Nutshell!
  • Parashar, Neeti Northeastern U: Origin of Mass
  • Stuver, Amber LIGO Livingston Observatory: Education and Outreach

APS Women Speakers, Massachusetts

  • Adams, Laura Harvard U: Intelligent Microspheres for Everyone
  • Arndt, Martina Bridgewater Coll: Science of Total Solar Eclipses
  • Baliunas, Sallie Smithsonian Astrophys Observ: Past and future of Sun
  • Bansil, Rama Boston U: Kinetics of Phase Transitions in Block Copolymers
  • Bhatia, Surita U of Mass: Cells and Gels: Soft Materials in Medicine
  • Bolton, Sarah Williams Coll: Between Atoms and the World of the Big
  • Byers, Nina U of California-LA: 20th Century Women in Physics
  • Cadonati, Laura U of Mass – Amherst: LIGO: gravitational wave astronomy
  • Cebe, Peggy Tufts U: What Superman Sees With X-ray Vision
  • Chakraborty, Bulbul Brandeis U: Entropy of Granular Materials
  • Evans, Nancy Cambridge, MA: Don’t We Already Know all about Polaris?
  • Frebel, Anna Mass Inst of Tech-MIT: The origin of the elements
  • Hagen-Bauer, Wendy Wellesley, MA: The Life History of a Star
  • Herzfeld, Judith Brandeis U: Energy Transduction in Bacteriorhodopsin
  • Machacek, Marie Smiths Astrophys Observ: Golden Age of Cosmology
  • Matthews, June Mass Inst of Tech-MIT: Exploring the Three-Nucleon System
  • Ondrechen, Mary Jo NE U: Using Physics to Understand the Genome
  • Ruskai, M Lowell, MA: Quantum Information Theory
  • Sisterson, Janet Mass Gen Hosp: Medical Applications of Proton Beams
  • Vrtilek, Saeqa Smiths Astrophys Observ: The revolution in astrophysics
  • Welther, Barbara Harvard-Smiths CFA: Women Astronomers at Harvard
  • Wilkes, Belinda Cambridge, MA: Life Cycle of a Star
  • Zielinska-Pfabe, Malgorzata Smith Coll: Fundamental Charm and Beauty

APS Women Speakers, Maryland  

  • Asaro, Catherine: NASA’s Breakthrough Physics Propulsion Program
  • Beise, Elizabeth U of Maryland-Col Park: Strange Quarks in the Proton
  • Crannell, Carol NASA/GSFC: Solar Flares in Hard X and Gamma Rays
  • Engle, Irene US Naval Academy: Planetary Magnetospheres
  • Forbes, Nancy Innovative Analytics, LLC: Biology is Inspiring Computing
  • Greer, Sandra Col Park, MD: Structure of Living Polymer Solutions
  • Howard, Sethanne Columbia, MD: 4000 Years of Women in Science
  • Konkowski, Deborah US Naval Academy: Singularities in General Relativity
  • Lee, Patricia US Army Rsch Lab: Quantum Computation with Atoms and Ions
  • Lubkin, Gloria North Bethesda, MD: Adventures of a Physics Reporter
  • Martinez-Miranda, Luz U of Maryland-Col Park: Liquid Crystals
  • Messer, Sarah HyperV Tech Corp: The Maryland Centrifugal Experiment
  • Modeste Knowles, Arlene APS: How to publish physics papers
  • Noguchi, Constance Nat Inst of Health – NIH: Treating Sickle Cell Anemia
  • Satyapal, Shobita Greenbelt, MD: Infrared Extragalactic Astronomy

APS Women Speakers, Maine  

  • McKay, Susan U of Maine: Complexity Arising from Competition

APS Women Speakers, Michigan

  • Barone, Veronica Central Mich U: Electronic structure of low-D carbon
  • Berrah, Nora Western Mich U: Dynamics in Atoms, Molecules and Ions
  • Coney, Linda Holland, MI: How to Do Experiments with Invisible Particles!
  • Deng, Hui U of Michigan – Ann Arbor: Quantum Networking
  • Ghosh, Ruby Michigan State U: Fiber Optic Chemical Sensors
  • Goldman, Rachel U of Mich – Ann Arbor: Semiconductor Nanopatterning
  • Hampton, Jennifer Hope Coll: Magnetic Measurements of Thin Films
  • Mader, Cathy Hope Coll: Nuclear Forensics – the CSI Career for Physicists
  • Mycek, Mary-Ann U of Michigan Med Ctr: Biomedical Optical Diagnostics
  • Nunes, Filomena Michigan State U: Nuclear Theory Puzzles past and future
  • Sih, Vanessa U of Michigan – Ann Arbor: Spins and light in semiconductors
  • Simmons, Elizabeth Michigan State U: Women in Physics in the US
  • Tsang, Manyee Michigan State U: Isoscaling in nuclear physics
  • Woestman, Joanne Dearborn, MI: An Industrial Physics Career
  • Zellner, Nicolle Albion, MI: Impact History of the Earth-Moon System

APS Women Speakers, Minnesota

  • Kolan, Amy St Olaf Coll: An Introduction to Wavelets
  • Manning, Heidi Moorhead, MN: Expl Solar System with Mass Spectrometers
  • Williams, Liliya Minneapolis, MN: Formation of dark matter halos of galaxies
  • Womack, Maria Saint Cloud, MN: A Guided Tour of Five Exotic Exoplanets

APS Women Speakers, Missouri  

  • Chandrasekhar, Meera U of Miss – Columbia: organic conjugated molecules
  • Guha, Suchismita U of Miss – Columbia: Photophysics of Semiconductors
  • Hill, Margaret Southeast Miss State U: Developing New Magnetic Materials
  • Plummer, PL U of Missouri – Columbia: Clusters: A New Form of Matter?

APS Women Speakers, Mississippi

  • Bauman, Leslie: Physics Experiments over the Web using LabVIEW Player
  • Perkins, A Louise U of Southern Mississippi: Coupling Ocean Models

APS Women Speakers, North Carolina 

  • Coffey, Tonya Appalachian State U: Diet Coke and Mentos
  • Daniels, Karen North Carolina State U: Earthquakes in a Lab Fault
  • Frohlich, Carla North Carolina State U: The Life and Afterlife of Stars
  • Gan, Liping U of NC – Wilmington: Symmetries in Fundamental Physics
  • Krim, Jacqueline NC State U: The Atomic-Scale Origins of Friction
  • McNeil, Laurie U of NC – Chapel Hill: The physics of musical instruments
  • Scholberg, Kate Duke U: Neutrinos from the Sky and Through the Earth
  • Shukla, Deepshikha James Madison U: Neutron Polarizabilities on Nuclei
  • Thompson, Nancy U of NC – Chapel Hill: Fluorescence Microscopy

APS Women Speakers, North Dakota

  • Kryjevskaia, Lioudmila N Dakota State U: Enquiry-based course materials

APS Women Speakers, New Jersey  

  • Andrei, Eva Rutgers U: On magnetic vortices in superconductors.
  • Bahcall, Neta Princeton, NJ: The Dark Side of the Universe
  • Cizewski, Jolie Rutgers U: The Magic Numbers of Maria Goeppert Mayer
  • Cladis, Patricia Adv Liquid Crystal Tech: Tetrahedratic Banana Liq Crystals
  • Etkina, Eugenia Rutgers U: Learning community and teacher preparation
  • Lanzerotti, Mary Y ARDEC: Energetic Materials During High Acceleration
  • Loo, Lynn Princeton U: Structures in Semicrystalline Block Copolymers
  • Polymer Crystallization Templated by Self Assembly of Block Copolymers
  • Prodan, Camelia NJ Inst of Tech: Memebrane Potential of Live Cells
  • Raynor, Susanne Rutgers U: An Overview of Theoretical Chemistry
  • Sealfon, Carolyn Princeton U: Gravity on Cosmological Scales
  • Tabor-Morris, Anne Georgian Court U: History and Applications of X-rays
  • Thio, Tineke Arinna LLC: Diffracted evanescent wave model for hole arrays
  • White, Alice Alcatel-Lucent/Bell Labs: Intro to Optical Communications

APS Women Speakers, New Mexico  

  • Creech-Eakman, Michelle Socorro, NM: What to do with a physics degree?
  • Dingus, Brenda Los Al Nat Lab: Gamma-Ray Bursts: Blasts from the Past
  • Palounek, Andrea Los Alamos: Design a High-Energy Physics Experiment
  • Prestridge, Katherine Los Alamos: Fluid Phenomena in Everyday Life
  • Seestrom, Susan Los Alamos: Measurements using Ultra-Cold Neutrons
  • Seidel, Sally U of NM- Lab: Jets, Partons, and Search for New Physics
  • Sessions, Sharon NM Tech: Multiple equilibria in the tropical atmosphere

APS Women Speakers, Nevada 

  •  Kaplan, Gunes U of Nevada – Reno: Elasticity as a function of grain size

APS Women Speakers, New York  

  • Aprile, Elena Columbia U: Using Gamma-Rays to Understand the Universe
  • Bahukutumbi, Radha U of Rochester: Inspiration from the sun
  • Baum, Stefi Rochester Inst of Tech: Life Cycles of Activity in Galaxies
  • Berebichez, Deborah Stanford U: The Physics of High Heels
  • Chan, Siu-Wai Columbia U: Grain Boundaries in Superconductors
  • Cohen, Beverly Tuxedo, NY: All About Airborne Particles and Me.
  • Conwell, Esther U of Rochester: Conducting Polymers
  • Foster, Margaret American Physical Society APS: The Peer Review Process
  • Friedmann, Tamar U of Rochester: Shrinking radius of hadrons
  • Jackson, Shirley Rensselaer Polytech Inst: Semiconductor Superlattices
  • Kim, Eun-Ah Cornell U: Quantum Liquid Crystals
  • Lewis, Kim Rensselaer Polytech Inst: Functionality in Simple Circuits
  • Magnes, Jenny West Point, NY: Coherence Effects in Diatomic Molecules
  • Markelz, Andrea State U of NY – Buffalo: Terahertz Spectroscopy
  • Noz, Marilyn U NY: Local-Area Networks in an Imaging Environment
  • Prakash, Manju Stony Brook, NY: Space Weather
  • Rafailovich, Miriam State U of NY- Stony Brook: DNA electrophoresis
  • Rice, Emily New York, NY: Brown Dwarfs: Cooler than the Coolest Stars
  • Santos, Lea Yeshiva U: Randomization in Coherent Quantum Control
  • Sokoloski, Jennifer Columbia U: Observations of Stellar Explosions and Jets
  • Sreekala, Subbalakshmi Rensselaer Polytech Inst: Recrystallization kinetics
  • Van de Water, Ruth Upton, NY: Testing the Standard Model with Lattice QCD
  • Wang, Gwo-Ching Rensselaer Polytech Inst: Properties of 3D nanostructures

APS Women Speakers, Ohio

  • Bailey, Sheila NASA Glenn Res Ctr: Space Photovoltaics
  • Bayram, Burcin Miami U: Raman Spectroscopy with liquid nitrogen
  • Clark, B Ohio State U – Columbus: Relativistic Effects in Nuclear Physics
  • Dutta, Ruma Columbus, OH: Numerical Simualtion of Fluid Flow
  • Elster, Charlotte Ohio U: Three Nucleon Physics
  • Gates, Evalyn Cleveland Mus of Nat History: The Hunt for Dark Matter
  • Hanson, Margaret Cincinnati, OH: Forming the Most Massive Stars
  • Ijiri, Yumi Oberlin Coll: Magnetic nanoparticles
  • Nahar, Sultana  Ohio State U – Columbus: Atomic Radiative Processes
  • Piltch, Nancy Cleveland, OH: Measurements for Microgravity Combustion
  • Roche, Julie Ohio U: Strange quarks in the Nucleon
  • Sandler, Nancy Ohio U: Physics of graphene ribbons
  • Schmalbrock, Petra Columbus, OH: High Res Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Selinger, Robin Kent State U – Kent: Rubber that moves
  • Sellgren, Kristen Columbus, OH: Stellar Abundances and Populations
  • Shigemitsu, Junko Ohio State U-Columbus: Lattices in Particle Physics
  • Smith, Tracy Columbus, OH: Astrophysical Dust
  • Taylor, Beverley Ann Miami U: The Physics of Common Toys
  • Yarrison-Rice, Jan Miami U: Nanowires: Watch them giggle and glow

APS Women Speakers, Oklahoma  

  • Wood-Black, Frankie Phillips Petrol Co: Adventures of an Industrial Researcher

APS Women Speakers, Oregon

  • Manogue, Corinne Oregon State U: Rolling Relativistic Quantum Balls Uphill
  • Ostroverkhova, Oksana Case Western U: Photorefractive organic materials
  • Richmond, Geraldine U of Or: Nonlinear Optics and Solid/Liquid Interfaces
  • Siem, Ellen Southern Oregon U: Materials Science
  • Tate, Janet Oregon State U: Transparent conductors and transparent devices

APS Women Speakers, Pennsylvania  

  • Diehl, Renee Penn State U, U Park: Life in Flatland
  • Hornschemeier, Ann Penn State U, U Park: The Origin of the Elements
  • Lavarone, Maria Temple U: Interplay of superconductivity and magnetism
  • Kane, Suzanne Haverford Coll: Mobbing – Flocking and Deterrence
  • Laws, Priscilla Dickinson Coll: Teaching Intro Physics without Lectures
  • Luehrmann, Mia Temple U: Modernizing Astronomy Labs: The CLEA Project
  • Lyyra, A Temple U: All-Optical Alignment of Nonpolar Molecules
  • Poynor, Adele Allegheny Coll: Water at a Hydrophobic Surface
  • Praton, Elizabeth Franklin & Marshall Coll: Fingers of God & Bubble Walls
  • Romer, Kathy Pittsburgh, PA: X-ray Studies of Clusters of Galaxies
  • Singh, Chandralekha U of Pittsburgh: Understanding quantum mechanics
  • Stephenson, Sharon Gettysburg Coll: The Issue of Gendered Physics

APS Women Speakers, South Carolina

  • Kulkarni, Varsha Columbia, SC: Long Ago in Galaxies Far Away

APS Women Speakers, Tennessee

  • Nattrass, Christine U of Tennessee, Knoxville: The Quark Gluon Plasma
  • Sabri, Firouzeh U of Memph: Future Materials: what are we looking for?
  • Smith, Beverly Johnson City , TN: Galaxy Collisions

APS Women Speakers, Texas  

  • Cheung, Margaret U of Houston: Life in a crowd
  • Halas, N Rice U: The Nanoengineering of Optical Properties
  • Lin, Jingyu Texas Tech U: III-nitride UV/blue micro- and nano-photonics
  • Marom, Noa U of Texas, Austin: Density Functional Theory
  • Olafsen, Linda Baylor U: So You Want To Be a Quantum Mechanic?
  • Reed, Helen Texas A&M U: Stability and Transition of Laminar Viscous Flows
  • Torres, Cristina U of Texas, Brownsville: Advanced LIGO:
  • Vigliante, Assunta State U of NY- Stony Brook: X-rays of electronic materials
  • Yennello, Sherry Texas A&M U Radioactive Nuclear Beams
  • Zhang, Zhenrong Baylor U: Defect and Adsorbate Dynamics on TiO2(110)

APS Women Speakers, Utah  

  • Cheney, Janica ATK Launch Systems: Rocket Science Is Just Cool

APS Women Speakers, Virginia

  • Baski, Alison Virginia Com U: Nanometer Structures by Oxygen Etching
  • Blaisten-Barojas, Estela George Mason U: Simulation of Cluster Growth
  • Caldwell, C. Arlington, VA: Atomic Physics at Adv Synchrotron Radiation
  • Constantin, Anca Ohio U: The rise and fall of the power of galaxy centers
  • Dodge, Gail Old Dominion U: Looking Inside the Proton
  • Dworzecka, Maria George Mason U: Using Computers in Upper-Level Physics
  • Hoatson, Gina William & Mary Coll: Nuclear Magnetic Res Spectroscopy
  • Keppel, Cynthia Hampton U: Quark-Hadron Duality
  • Shinn, Michelle Jefferson Lab: Navigating your career in Physics
  • Tolstoy, Alexandra Atolstoy Sciences: What is mathematics good for?
  • Venkateswaran, Uma Nat Science Foundation: Carbon Nanotubes
  • Zheng, Xiaochao U of Virginia: Nucleon spin structure

APS Women Speakers, Washington  

  • Dexheimer, Susan Washington State U: Ultrafast Dynamics of Localization
  • Gossett, Cynthia Boeing: The Transition from Academic to Applied Physics
  • LaMadrid, Marissa AdaptiveTCR Tech: Biological Sequence Analysis
  • Lin, Huey-Wen U of Washington: A Lattice QCD Tour inside the Hadron
  • Lutz, Julie Seattle, WA: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life
  • McDermott, Lillian C U of Washington: Physics education research
  • Olmstead, Marjorie U of Washington: Confidence in Your Career
  • Zita, E Evergreen State Coll: Our magnetic Sun

APS Women Speakers, Wisconsin

  • Echeverria, Isabel DuPont Co: A study of physical aging
  • Howes, Ruth Ball State U: Women Physicists and the Manhattan Project
  • Korenic, Eileen U of Wisconsin, River Falls: The Science of Color
  • Kurahashi Neilson, Naoko U of Wisconsin, Madison: Neutrino Astronomy
  • Sheaff, Marleigh U of Wisconsin, Madison: Heavy Quark Physics
  • Williams-Norton, Mary Ripon Coll: Hands-On Physics for Young Children

APS Women Speakers, West Virginia  

  • Holcomb, Mikel, West Virginia U: Understanding Magnetism in Multiferroics
  • Leslie-Pelecky, Diandra, West Virginia U: The Science of Speed

Women Scientists who give Awesome Seminars

This list was compiled by gerty-z on Scientopia.org in 2011. It’s an online crowd-sourced list, so it is more personal and eclectic than the structured lists from organizations and awards bodies.

  • Cori Bargmann (Neurobiologist)
  • Brenda Bass
  • Bonnie Bassler (Princeton)
  • Angela Belcher, MIT
  • Elizabeth Blackburn
  • Frances Brodsky
  • Anne Brunet (Stanford)
  • Heather Cameron (NIH)
  • C. Sue Carter (oxytocin research at U Illinois-Chicago)
  • Angela Christiano (Columbia)
  • Nicola Clayton (spacial memory in scrub jays)
  • Anna Marie Cuervo (Albert Einstein)
  • Donna Dean, formerly of NIH
  • Rachel Green (JHMI)
  • Elaine Fuchs
  • Rebecca Heald
  • Hopi Hoekstra
  • Kelly Holley-Bockelmann (astrophysicist at Vanderbilt)
  • Nancy Hopkins
  • Luisa Iruela-Arispe at UCLA
  • Christine Jacobs-Wagner
  • Patricia Kuhl
  • Katja Lindenberg at UC San Diego
  • Susan Lindquist
  • Jennifer Lippencott-Schwartz
  • Karolin Luger (Colorado State)
  • Ann McDermott (Columbia U)
  • Trudy MacKay
  • Eve Marder (Neurobiologist)
  • Nergis Mavalvala
  • Susan Mango (Harvard)
  • Courtney Miller from Scripps Florida
  • Liz Miller (Columbia)
  • Jodi Nunnari
  • Shiela Patek
  • Kamala Patel (U of Calgary)
  • Carolyn Porco (Inst of the Southwest)
  • Erica Rosenblum (Uni of Idaho)
  • Barbara Schaal
  • Patricia Schulte (UBC)
  • Eugenie Scott of NCSE
  • Pam Silver
  • Lila Solnica-Krezel (Washington U)
  • Joan Straussman
  • Michelle Swanson
  • Joan Steitz
  • Phoebe Stewart
  • Gina Turrigiano (Neurobiologist)
  • Leslie Voshall
  • Rachel Wilson (Neurobiologist)
  • Xiaowei Zhuang (Harvard)
  • Huda Zoghbi (Neurobiologist)

Summary

This is not a list of potential speakers for any specific event, as each event has its own unique mix of requirements. But it shows that you can improve the quality of the list that you choose your speakers from by doing some research on women speakers that you may not currently be aware of. For practical reasons, you may not be able to invite many of the specific women on this list to your particular event, but reading this list may trigger some ideas of similar women who you can invite. Finally, I should add a caveat that I do not agree with the politics of all of the speakers on this list.

If you would like to add any names, please do so in the comments.

2,000 Women Speakers Worth Listening To

27 thoughts on “2,000 Women Speakers Worth Listening To

  1. Fantastic list, bookmarked this page for the future. Ann James, chairperson of Humanist Ireland, is coming down to give the inaugural talk of atheist/Humanist society in NUIG. She could be an addition to your list.

  2. Thanks for those additions – they are now included.

    Don’t know how I forgot Ann! That’s what happens when you do research online. You forget about real life!

  3. Excellent list. When can we expect to see the lists of Gay, Blind, Deaf, Ethnic African, Asian, Eskimo, Aboriginal, Native American, Mentally Disabled, Physically Disabled, Bullying Victim, Traveller, Semetic and Roma Gypsy speaker lists?

  4. Michael:
    Great list. It’s pretty comprehensive so I don’t have much to add.
    I notice you listed Vanessa Lacey of TENI as a recent speaker at an Atheist Ireland. She was due to speak but was actually replaced at the last minute by Louise Hannon, who gave an excellent talk on the issues she faced as a transgendered woman. You could add her to the list.

    AngelaM: why the list of minorities? Women make up half the population (or more). They’re hardly a special interest group, but are significantly under-represented at some events.
    If you argue that women generally have different insights and talents to men, then it would be perverse to exclude or under-utilise them as speakers, when half the potential audience are women, and the other half can benefit from their different perspective.
    If, conversely, you think that women are not significantly different to men, then excluding or marginalising them simply means slashing the available pool of speakers. It would be like picking people alphabetically by surname, and never bothering to look past M.
    Either way, it makes sense to have more women speakers and this list shows that there’s no reason that can’t happen.

  5. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is an excellent speaker

  6. Thanks Laura, I’ve added Nora Volkow.

    Derek, I’ve added Louise. I missed that event because I was speaking somewhere else that day. I’ve asked Harry to ask her to speak again now that we are videoing the events so we can record her talk.

  7. Hi Michael!

    In all fairness, I will only speak at local conferences. I dont think it is appropriate for me to fly across the country/across the world to talk about viruses or vaccines, when there are virologists/immunologists pretty much everywhere who would LOVE opportunities to speak to a pro-science audience.

    I think a lot of the problem with speaker line-ups has nothing to do with gender/race/sexual orientation, but, simply, and I mean this nicely, laziness and fear.

    It is *easy* to invite the same people to your conference who got invited to every other conference. People put a *lot* of work into conferences, and they are afraid no one will show up unless they have Name-Brand Recognizable Names. It is difficult to convince organizers that they dont need to fly in A Big Name from across the globe to talk about a topic, when they have people literally in their back yards who could talk just as well about the exact same topic (if not better! who knows!). It will be a name ‘no one’ has heard of, and they have to go to the effort of hunting down the person in the first place.

    Sooooooooo organizers just invite the same people as everyone else invites (and you can see their presentations now on YouTube anyway, which they are almost certainly repeating).

    The speaker list is stagnant because of laziness/fear of trying new people, and it just so happens that the original list had lots of males on it, so thats why there appears to be a ‘gender gap’. But when you look at the female list of Usual Speakers, it is just as stagnant.

    So *I* would say, as someone on that list, to use that list to invite *new* people, people who are close by that you were unaware of, and get ideas for new speakers from YOUR area that you were unaware of, rather than using that list as a quota filler.

  8. Thanks, ERV, that’s more or less the same analysis as I made in the intro to the list. I don’t think that event organizers are deliberately trying to not invite women. I think often they are not even considering many women, who are excellent speakers, for the reasons you outline.

    I think event organizers are also subject to the same background level of unconscious gender prejudice as there is in society generally. That’s why the original lists have more men in the first place, and why the imbalance should be noticed and consciously addressed.

    And I agree with you that organizers should invite new speakers, and do their own research in their own areas. So even if they can’t invite anyone from this list, reading this list may trigger some ideas of other new speakers suitable for their event.

  9. I’d like to recommend Dr. Rosie Redfield. She is a University of British Columbia Associate Professor who has been published in Science and whose work has been featured in Wired Science. She has given talks for Vancouver Café Scientifique and Science Online Vancouver, and has appeared on some local podcasts. Her research blog is here: http://rrresearch.fieldofscience.com/

  10. Hello

    Depending on how wide your brief is – I’d like to recommend a couple of brilliant, fellow female speakers who talk about digital tech. Both are very adaptable and can come up with something highly original to fit a theme – and both are practitioners in their field (hardware hacking):

    – Leila Johnston. Technologist in residence at The Site Gallery, Sheffield, writer for Wired Magazine and others. An excellent speaker on digital technology, futurism and so on.
    http://finalbullet.com/

    – Rain Ashford – An expert in wearable technology, digital futures etc.
    http://rainycatz.wordpress.com/

    Ta.
    Sarah

  11. Barbara Ehrenreich would be a terrific addition to the list. She was writing about secular humanism long before the New Atheists.

  12. I’ve now added Leila, Rain, Katha and Joan, plus the speakers just announced for CFI’s Women in Secularism 2 Conference in 2013.

    I have also added hyperlinks to more of the names on the list. Eventually, all names will be hyperlinked.

    More suggestions always welcome.

  13. Humanistic Rabbi Miriam Jerris, Rabbi, Society for Humanistic Judaism:
    http://www.iishj.org/faculty-staff.html

    Rabbi Miriam Jerris

    Rabbi Miriam Jerris has been a member of the Society for Humanistic Judaism and committed to its philosophic principles since 1970. She is rabbi of the Society for Humanistic Judaism. She serves as president of the Association of Humanistic Rabbis. Rabbi Jerris is the 2006 recipient of the Sherwin T. Wine Lifetime Achievement Award.

    Rabbi Jerris holds Masters Degrees in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan and in Humanistic and Clinical Psychology from the Center for Humanistic Studies, and a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies with a specialization in Pastoral Counseling from The Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was ordained by the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism. Rabbi Jerris serves on the faculty of the International Institute and serves as a mentor for the rabbinic students. She has officiated at intermarriage ceremonies and worked with intercultural families since 1985.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJW024Eevw0

  14. I don’t know if you will see this comment, Michael, but here are a few names which you might consider adding to your list:

    1) Susan Gerbic – Organizer of the Wikipedia Project which has Wikipedia editors worldwide doing edits on Wikipedia pages. http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/wikapediatrician_susan_gerbic_discusses_her_guerrilla_skepticism_on_wikiped

    2) Eve Seibert – Editor and Blogger at “Skeptical Humanities”, blogger at “Insight”, and member of the “Virtual Skeptics” podcast. http://skepticalhumanities.com; http://www.skeptic.com/insight/authors/ http://virtualskeptics.com

    3) Barbara Drescher – Contributor to “Insight” blog at Skeptic Society and member of the “Virtual Skeptics” podcast. http://www.skeptic.com/insight/authors/; http://virtualskeptics.com;

    4) *IMPORTANT* Ann Reid who is the new Executive Director of National Center for Science Education (Eugenie Scott retired). http://ncse.com/news/2014/01/welcome-ann-reid-0015284

  15. Thank you for such a great, comprehensive list and for including me in it! It is wonderful to be in the company of all these amazing women. I am coordinating a conference right now and the list is very helpful.

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