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The Association for Women in Science (AWIS) is a non-profit professional organization that was founded in 1971 at the annual Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) meeting. The organization aims to advocate for the full participation and equity of women in all fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). AWIS works to combat systemic gender discrimination, such as unequal pay and professional isolation, and promotes a more inclusive STEM culture.

The association's membership has grown to include approximately 7,700 STEM professionals across various disciplines, with a national network of 27 chapters in the United States. Through advocacy, career development programs, and mentorship opportunities, AWIS supports women at all career stages in STEM and advances policies that foster inclusivity in scientific environments.

History

1971–1970s: Founding and Early Advocacy

In 1971, at the annual Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) conference, a group of 27 women scientists—co-led by endocrinologist Neena B. Schwartz and biochemist Judith G. Pool—organized an informal meeting (over a champagne brunch) to discuss discrimination in their field, leading to the founding of the Association for Women in Science.

AWIS soon established an executive office in Washington, D.C., and began chartering local chapters nationwide to support a growing network of women in STEM. Its founding co-presidents, Schwartz and Pool, set early advocacy priorities to combat unequal pay, hiring biases, and professional isolation.

In the mid-1970s AWIS joined other women’s organizations in initiating a class-action lawsuit against the National Institutes of Health (NIH), objecting to the lack of women on NIH grant review committees. The legal action was dropped after AWIS representatives (including Schwartz) met with NIH Director Robert Marston, who agreed to appoint more women from a list of qualified candidates – a step that soon led to significantly higher female representation on NIH peer-review panelsawissd.org. AWIS also pressed for enforcement of Title IX equal-opportunity provisions beyond athletics, urging their application to academic science departments and research funding.

Members of AWIS provided Congressional testimony and served on federal advisory committees to push for gender equity in science during this era. As the organization grew, it founded the AWIS Educational Foundation in 1974 (now the AWIS Educational Awards program) to receive donations and fund scholarships and fellowships for women pursuing scientific careers. These early efforts laid the groundwork for AWIS’s dual mission of supporting women scientists and advocating for systemic change in STEM institutions.

1980s–1990s: National Recognition and Expansion

By the 1980s, AWIS had expanded its national presence with dozens of chapters and thousands of members across the United States. The organization became a leading voice on policies to advance women in science, working in coalition with other professional groups to promote family-friendly workplaces, fair promotion practices, and greater inclusion of women in research initiatives. AWIS leaders helped shape public policy – for example, by championing stronger Title IX compliance in academia and advising on legislation to improve childcare and anti-discrimination protections in research environments. The organization also represented U.S. women scientists internationally, sending delegates to global meetings to share strategies for increasing women’s participation in STEM. During this period AWIS gained broader recognition for its mentoring and professional development programs. In 1997, the Association received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) from the White House, honoring AWIS’s nationwide mentoring project that had supported more than 6,000 female students and early-career scientists since 1990. This national award highlighted AWIS’s impact and solidified its reputation as a driving force for women’s advancement in STEM.

2000s–2010s: Continued Advocacy and Partnerships

In the 21st century, AWIS continued to champion women across all STEM disciplines through research-driven advocacy and new partnerships. The organization focused on persistent barriers contributing to the “leaky pipeline” of women leaving scientific careers – examining issues such as implicit bias in hiring, inequities in grant funding, and the underrepresentation of women among prestigious science award winners. AWIS published reports and policy briefs to raise awareness of these challenges and recommended institutional reforms, while also expanding its own programs for career development and recognition of women’s achievementsawissd.org. During these decades, AWIS actively collaborated with the National Science Foundation and other agencies on initiatives to advance systemic change (for example, through NSF’s ADVANCE program funding). The Association’s membership grew to include professionals in industry, academia, and government, and new chapters were established in numerous states, giving AWIS a presence in over 40 regions. By 2010, AWIS counted several thousand members and over 50 chapters nationwideawishouston.org. Its activities ranged from mentoring circles and leadership training to the publication of AWIS Magazine and an online newsletter (AWIS in Action!) that kept members informed on policy issues. These efforts ensured that AWIS remained at the forefront of advocacy for equity and inclusion, while providing a strong support network for women pursuing STEM careers at every level.

2020s: 50th Anniversary and New Initiatives

In 2019, AWIS launched the ADVANCE Resource and Coordination (ARC) Network, described as a STEM equity “brain trust” designed to connect scholars and practitioners working to advance diversity in scienceblogs.missouristate.edu. Funded by the National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE program, the ARC Network created a community platform for sharing research findings and effective practices to promote gender equity, with support from partners such as Elsevier’s Mendeley and SSRN servicessciencewithart.ijs.si. Two years later, in 2021, AWIS celebrated its 50th anniversary. The organization marked this milestone by reflecting on five decades of progress – from its roots in 1971 to its contemporary role – highlighting how AWIS had empowered women through scholarships, mentoring programs, and advocacy initiatives across the yearsblogs.missouristate.edu. (That year AWIS also introduced reforms to broaden access, including a more equitable dues structure and an expanded career center for membersmultibriefs.com.)

Building on its legacy, AWIS in the early 2020s rolled out new programs to address emerging needs. An Advocacy Scholars Program was established to sponsor selected AWIS members to receive policy training (e.g. attending the AAAS science policy workshops in Washington, D.C.) and to later lead AWIS’s national advocacy effortsawis.memberclicks.net. AWIS also created dedicated scholarships for first-generation women college students pursuing STEM degrees, aiming to diversify the pipeline of future female scientistsawis.memberclicks.net. In addition, AWIS turned its attention to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women in science. The organization gathered data through member surveys and webinars, finding that many women scientists faced heightened caregiving responsibilities and declines in research productivity during the pandemicmultibriefs.commultibriefs.com. AWIS publicized these findings and advocated for supportive measures (such as flexible tenure clocks, remote work support, and funding extensions) to mitigate COVID-19’s disproportionate toll on women in STEMmultibriefs.com. As it advances through its second half-century, AWIS continues to adapt its programs and advocacy to foster inclusion, resilience, and equal opportunity for women in science.

AWIS was founded in 1971 at the annual meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), after a series of champagne brunches organized by an informal women's caucus. After establishing an executive director and an office in Washington, DC, chapters were organized across the country for individual members. Its founding co-presidents were Neena Schwartz and Judith Pool. Along with other women in science associations, an early AWIS action involved initiating a class action lawsuit against the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in response to poor representation on NIH grant review committees. The lawsuit was dropped after representatives of the groups, including Schwartz, met with Robert Marsten, then head of the NIH, who solicited recommendations and committed to appointing more women. Early projects include the creation of the AWIS Educational Foundation (now known as the Educational Awards) to receive donations and award fellowships. In 1997, AWIS won the Presidents Mentoring Award.

Organization

As of 2015, the AWIS executive director was Janet Bandows Koster and the president of the board was Ann Lee-Karlon.

Activities and publications

AWIS activities include public advocacy, news and media distribution, and educational programs such as mentorship programs and scholarship awards. AWIS publishes a variety of materials to inform women about science programs and women's issues, including the quarterly AWIS Magazine and the AWIS in Action! Advocacy and Public Policy Newsletter.

Charter

Representing the 7.4 million women working in STEM, AWIS members are professionals and students in a variety of STEM fields. Over 50% of AWIS members have doctorates in their respective fields.

AWIS has 49 chapters in the United States, which support local networking and mentorship, as well as outreach to young women considering careers in STEM.

Coalitions and Partner Organizations

• STEM Education Coalition
• National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (NCWGE)
• American Association of University Women (AAUW)
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)

Notable members

• Carol Greider (Nobel Prize Winner in Physiology or Medicine, 2009 "for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase")
• Phoebe Leboy (President 2008–2009)
• Lydia Villa-Komaroff (Molecular and cellular biologist who has been an academic laboratory scientist, a university administrator, and a business woman. She was the third Mexican American woman in the United States to receive a doctorate degree in the sciences (1975) and is a co-founding member of The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) and an AWIS Fellow, Class of 1998)
• Marion Webster, biochemist who served as president of AWIS

See also

• List of prizes, medals, and awards for women in science

References

↑ Hampton, Kathleen (10 August 1971). "Women Scientists Probing Discrimination in Their Field". Ann Arbor News. Retrieved 5 June 2015.↑ Rossiter, Margaret (2012). Women Scientists in America. ; Forging a New World since 1972. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 9781421403632.↑ Schwartz, Neena (2008). "An oral history conducted in 2008". The Endocrine Society, The Clark Sawin Library (Interview). Interviewed by Michael Chappelle. Chevy Chase, Maryland.↑ "AWIS History". Association for Women in Science. Archived from the original on 2012-01-21.↑ "Association for Women in Science, Inc. Mentoring Project". PAESMEM.↑ "The Association for Women in Science Appoints Janet Bandows Koster, MBA, as Executive Director" (PDF). Association for Women in Science. Retrieved 27 February 2014.[permanent dead link]↑ "AWIS National Governing Board". Association for Women in Science. Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.↑ "AWIS – Essential Reasons to Join". Archived from the original on 2012-01-21.

External links

• AWIS National