AWIS: Balancing Science & Life

GettyImages_91274850Have you ever struggled to balance your academic or professional life with a personal life? The challenge to develop a successful professional career and a fulfilling social or family life is a common theme for young professionals at Boston University. The Massachusetts chapter of the Association for Women In Science (AWIS) and the Boston University Division of Graduate Medical Sciences is pleased to be hosting a lecture on this relevant topic on October 12th, 2010.

The AWIS is a non-profit national organization dedicated to promoting equality for women in mathematics, science, engineering, and technology. A few of the major benefits of being an AWIS member include discounts to AWIS events (local and national), camaraderie, quarterly issues of the AWIS Magazine, professional development tools, professional mentoring and network development.

For the first time, BUMC will be hosting a local AWIS event, featuring keynote speakers Dr. Joanne Kamens and Dr. Galit Lahav. Dr. Lahav, Assistant Professor at the Harvard Medical School, has recently published an article on combining motherhood and academia in Molecular Cell. Dr. Kamens is the founder of the Massachusetts AWIS chapter, has her Ph.D. in Genetics from Harvard Medical School’s Division of Medical Sciences and is currently the Director of Research Collaborations for RXi Pharmaceutical Corps. This is an exciting and unique opportunity for women and men alike to reap the wisdom and advice of two women who are experienced and successful in both realms of their careers and family life. Co-organizers of the current BUMC event, Anne-Ellise Tobin, Julia Brown and BU post-doctoral fellow Beth Hovey, have been working tireless to share the benefits of AWIS with the BUMC and Boston community at large. Dr. Hovey emphasizes what a unique and valuable experience this event and AWIS itself are for establishing local professional connections, networking, and especially learning from experienced and successful AWIS mentors.

The event, on October 12th, 2010 from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm at 72 E. Concord St. (Rm L110), Boston, is free for all BU students, post-doctoral fellows, and AWIS members. Nominal fee of $5 for other students and $20 for all other non-members are charged to attend the event.

Registration is available online: http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=210106.

Learn more about local AWIS events at http://www.mass-awis.org/home or the national AWIS organization.