Favoritism can occur in any workplace.  It can be especially pernicious in STEMM academics, where it undermines meritocratic ideals.  As senior women leaders, we should promote fair and equitable treatment of junior colleagues and guard against the dangers of favoritism.

On a recent trip to Milan, we stumbled upon a street named for 18^th century female scientist Laura Bassi, reminding us that women have been accomplishing extraordinary things in STEMM for hundreds of years.  Too few women have had such an opportunity.

Here, we introduce our readers to ROZ, an interactive career advisory platform that offers a global network of mentors and other tools to help advance scientists’ careers and promote diversity.

At a time when universities (at least in the USA) are under fire, let’s take a moment to remind ourselves how fortunate we are to be educators.

Understanding the dynamics by which leadership emerges, including the relationships within groups, can help us design and choose the leadership training program that best serves our needs.

More than ever, STEMM practitioners are needed to identify and solve problems and to provide the innovation that drives economic growth.  Engagement is crucial to ensuring that colleagues can ‘fly together’ effectively to achieve our highest aspirations in STEMM.

Prof. Charmain Levy, an eminent scholar of international development studies, feminist studies and social sciences from the Université du Québec en Outaouais, shares her thoughts on successful strategies women may take to advance our rights and opportunities and provides some advice specifically for senior women leaders in academia.

A departure from ‘science as usual’ would focus on society and community, emphasize interdependence and connection, and promote broader thinking. A new foundation will bring ‘congressive’ STEMM into the mainstream.    

Prof. Tracy Kijewski-Correa shares her experiences and insight on the important role that academic engineers can play in addressing poverty and the needs of at-risk populations across the globe.

Like any other transition in life, retirement requires good navigation.  Here, we offer some of our own experiences and advice to help you prepare for a smooth and effective retirement.

Authors Roberta Hawkins and Leslie Kern discuss how they came to write their 2024 book Higher Expectations: How to Survive Academia, Make it Better for Others, and Transform the University and how they hope that the recommendations in their book will improve academia.

Are we, as academics, sufficiently willing to engage with our colleagues on issues of ethics and behavior?  As women leaders in STEMM, how does this affect us and what are our responsibilities?    

While becoming a mother presents many challenges to a successful academic career, we should not lose sight of the potential career-related benefits for women who choose motherhood.

During a meeting in Paris last fall, we were inspired to draft A Declaration of the Rights of Women and Girls in STEMM in hopes of building a modern system that uplifts everyone.

Prof. Ulrike Beisiegel recounts how her academic career, including her many advisory roles, prepared her to be the first female President of the University of Göttingen in Germany.  

It’s not just STEMM fields that present major challenges for women in academia and systemic roadblocks to success. We need to learn from and support our sisters in the arts and humanities.

Leadership is always dynamic, never static.  Here are some ideas for how a leader can prepare for, identify, and respond effectively to emerging challenges and, ideally, turn them into opportunities.  

Former professor, retired Lieutenant General, and current entrepreneur and board member Jeffrey Talley explains how and why women in STEMM can be great leaders.  He offers his unique insight into supporting women in their leadership journeys.

Embarking upon a new leadership position is a challenging step in an academic STEMM career.  Here are some tips for getting your ‘ducks are lined up in a row’.