28 NOTING THERE WEREvery few women speaking at or chairing sessions at a convention she attended, Dr. Jennifer Geddes-McAlister knew that needed to change. A researcher from the University of Guelph and a mother of two young children, she knows firsthand the challenges women, especially mothers, face in the workplace. To support and encourage other women in her field, she reached out to some colleagues and formed the group Moms in Proteomics (MiPs). Proteomics is the study of proteins; the field is rooted in traditionally male-dominated scientific disciplines, including chemistry, engineering, and mathematics. "I wanted to make a network of women in the field and say 'Would you like to speak at this Women in STEM NETWORKING GROUP ENCOURAGES DIVERSITY IN SCIENCE Barb Keith BUTTONS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE MIPS, FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE GROUPS’ SUPPORTERS. PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER GEDDES-MCALISTER. event' or if there's an award could I put your name forward and nominate you," says Geddes-McAlister on why she initiated MiPs. "I thought the only way that we get more women in these positions is if we actually talk about them and nominate them and recommend them." Many universities, like the University of Guelph, have a significant number of women studying in undergraduate programs in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields; the percentage of women studying beyond the undergraduate level drops significantly and very few are found in senior roles such as department chairs or deans. In Geddes-McAlister's department, only about 25 per cent of the faculty are women. MiPs has approximately 175 members from 15 countries and includes not just mothers but also young women who have joined as they see the benefits of connecting with those who are paving the way to ensure the needs of women in STEM are being met. Industry News DR. JENNIFER GEDDES-MCALISTER.
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