Prof. Sara Seager speaks with National Geographic reporter Jamie Shreeve about her work searching for an Earth-like planet orbiting a sunlike star. “You never know what’s going to happen,” Seager says. “But I know that something great is around those stars.”
In an article for The New York Times Magazine about the history of women working in the field of computer programming, Clive Thompson highlights the work of Mary Allen Wilkes, a “programming whiz” who worked at MIT’s Lincoln Lab back in the 1960s on the creation of the LINC.
NBC News reporters Courtney McGee and Brenda Breslauer speak with MIT alumna Sherri Davidoff, a “white hat” hacker, who hacks into computer systems to help companies test their security. McGee and Breslauer write that Davidoff, “was one of the first female white-hat hackers in an industry still dominated by men.”
Prof. Polina Anikeeva speaks with Forbes contributor Poornima Peiris about her work developing materials that could be used to help explore and better understand the brain and nervous system. “I am not interested in just improving things, I want to work on innovative ideas,” says Anikeeva.
Writing for Smithsonian, Leila McNeill spotlights Ellen Swallow Richards, the first female student at MIT, who was known for her work using chemistry as a tool to help empower women. “By harnessing the knowledge that women in the home already had and then applying scientific principles,” writes McNeill, “Richards believed women would spark a change that would resonate beyond the kitchen table and transform society.”
MIT has been named to College Magazine’s list of the best colleges for feminists, writes Kaleigh Howland. Howland notes that, “MIT has one of the best gender ratios in a top technical university at nearly 49% female. And on top of the blessed (almost) 50/50 ratio, in 2017, their president acknowledged the presence of sexual assault specifically and recommended better resources and training.”
The Media Lab presented its Disobedience Award to several leading figures behind the #MeToo movement, including two scientists who have helped to raise awareness about sexual harassment in the field of science, reports Meredith Wadman for Science.
Forbes contributor Vivian Nunez speaks with MIT alumna Jessica Marquez about what inspired her to pursue a career in STEM and how she encourages other Latinas to succeed. “I recommend finding mentors,” says Marquez. “I may have never chosen to pursue a PhD at MIT if I had not met Professor Dava Newman – she continues to be a wonderful mentor.”
Writing for the American History Magazine, Sarah Richardson highlights the trailblazing path of Ellen Swallow Richards. Richardson notes that Swallow Richards was a “one-woman parade of firsts: first female student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, first female fellow of the American Association of Mining and Metallurgy, first female professor at MIT.”
Padma Lalshmi, host of Bravo’s Top Chef, delivered remarks at MIT’s fourth annual Open Endoscopy Forum. Ahead of her speech, Lakshmi spent the day at MIT touring labs and engaging with students, reports Olivia Vanni for The Boston Herald.
Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi spoke at MIT’s Open Endoscopy Forum, where she discussed her past experience with sexual assault and her personal fight with endometriosis. Lakshmi “has been a longtime advocate of raising awareness for endometriosis since being diagnosed as a teen,” write Megan Johnson and Joelle Goldstein for People.
Amy Fitzgerald, outreach program coordinator for the Edgerton Center, speaks with New York Times reporter Jane Levere about the Ad Council’s new “She Can STEM” campaign aimed at girls ages 11 to 15. Fitzgerald says the message “could have a big effect,” adding that it’s vital the campaign shows “mechanical engineers, aviation engineers, women who get their hands dirty…Girls, especially, do not have an idea of the range of possibilities.”
Fox News reporters Kevin Tracy and Christopher Howard highlight how MIT alumna Laila Shabir created a summer camp aimed at inspiring girls interesting in playing and creating video games. “It’s like teaching someone how to paint,” Shabir explains. “You know once you teach them how to paint they can express themselves through that medium. That’s exactly what we’re doing at camp.”
BuzzFeed highlights the work of Prof. Sangeeta Bhatia in a list of trailblazing women working in the STEM fields. BuzzFeed notes that Bhatia is an “incredible role model for women in STEM, not only for to her scientific contributions, but for the elegant way in which she balances her professional and personal roles.”
Glendale News-Press reporter Andrew Campa highlights Leanorine Lorenzana - a rising high school senior in Glendale, California – and her experience with the MIT Women’s Technology Program. Lorenzana noted that she loved how at MIT, “it’s a culture where anything nerdy wasn’t seen with a negative connotation. Everyone is nerdy, and everyone is talking about different things all the time.”