A Message from the President's Desk

This summer we are pleased to present the 4th edition of the Family Resource Handbook. Many have found it to be great reference over the years -- containing information on resources offered to the Washington University and St. Louis communities. Topics range from childcare and elder care to planning the unusual birthday party for small children. We thank Ann Prenatt for her support of publication costs. Additional copies of the manual can be down loaded from awn.wustl.edu or at Human Resources Offices (4480 Clayton Avenue, North Brookings Hall – Room 126, and West Campus – Room 3100).

Other highlights of the 2002-03 academic year include:

• AWN receiving the AAMC – 2002 Women in Medicine Leadership Development Award. This prestigious honor was made possible by a decade of hard work from the members of this society. Karen O’Malley accepted the award at the annual AAMC meeting in San Francisco. Congratulations to all.

• 5th Annual Contemporary Women’s Health Issues Symposium was held in the Eric P. Newman Education Center December 6th.and was well attended by community physicians, Washington University faculty, staff and students from both campuses. Many thanks to the co-chairs Diane Merritt and Barb Zehnbauer. The next program will be on Friday, October 24th 2003 – talks to include everything from the aging eye to cancer screening.

• This year the AWN biannual dinners were held in conjunction with the AWF at the Central Institute for the Deaf. The fall dinner was on October 23rd and again included a charity clothes drive for Dress for Success. The outfits collected were distributed to women of limited means entering their first professional job and was organized by Nancy Baenziger. The spring dinner was held April 30th and featured American University Law Professor, Joan C. Williams and author of "Unbending Gender: Why Work and Family Conflict and What To Do About It." She discussed the history and legal issues relating to the male dominated work place and the need for corporate and public policies that are more family friendly. She presented a cogent argument that a more humane redesign of job schedules and restructuring work in many circumstances would lead to greater, rather than less productivity. Joan Williams also held small group sessions during the day with the medical students and faculty from both campuses. During this dinner Irene Karl PhD and Sondra Schlesinger PhD received the Pioneering Women in Medicine and Science Award. The Faculty Mentor Awards went to Paul Goodfellow PhD and Eugene Johnson PhD. In addition, Student Leadership Awards went Andea Gebhart PhD, Joyce Divine PhD, Sarah Lacy MD, Elizabeth Somsel MD, and Stephanie Strand PhD. Many thanks to Alison Goate who organized both dinners and to Ginger Marcus for arranging Ms. Williams visit. We would also like to thank Leslie Kahl, Diana Gray, Ed Macias and Ken Polonsky for their financial support for Ms. Williams’ appearance.

• The Grant writing series was held on April 16, 18, and 23. About 70 faculty and graduate students attended each seminar given by senior scientists experienced in all aspects of grant writing. Topics covered everything from funding agencies to writing top notch grants. The video and slide presentations can be accessed through the AWN web site. Thanks to Ingrid Borecki for putting the program together and all the speakers who took time out of their busy day to share their experiences with young investigators.

• The AWN board has continued to serve as a strong voice for women faculty at the medical center through communication with administration and faculty groups. This year we meet with the Faculty Senate Council to discuss the status of women at the medical center, discussed the accomplishments and goals of AWN with our new dean Dr. Larry Shapiro, and Dr. Diana Gray, the new Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs. We have also sent representatives to the ECFC and the Department of Medicine Committee on Women and Minorities.

• AWN has purchased a selection of books and articles to begin the Diversity and Career Development Special Collection in the Becker Library. The books will be available in the next couple of weeks on reserve at the library’s front desk. The articles - in PDF format - will be printable from the library computers. Reviews for all the books and a listing of articles by topic will be available on the AWN web site.

• This year Washington University had the largest contingent of faculty (8 women) at the AAMC Women in Medicine Leadership Development Conference July 19-22 in Washington DC. Three of these positions were funded by AWN.

• AWN nominated Susan E. MacKinnon for the Academy of Science of St. Louis 2003 James B. Eads Award and Phyllis I. Hanson –for the Innovation Award. A table of AWN members were on hand to honor these outstanding WU women at the Academy dinner April 2nd.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the AWN board members for their dedication to improving the professional environment for women and men in academic medicine at this institution and to Kim Vaninger AWN secretary whose editorial assistance made publication of the Handbook a reality this year.

Don’t forget to visit the AWN website at awn.wustl.edu. Membership forms, copy of the Resource Handbook, information from the grant writing seminar, and many other important items can be found here.