This document profiles 10 influential women in STEM fields and education. It provides a short biography for each woman, including their current roles and research interests. It also includes their advice for women entering STEM careers and how instructors can encourage young women to pursue STEM studies. The women emphasize developing support networks, highlighting female role models, and creating an engaging learning environment that fosters curiosity.

1. STEM
FEMME
HALL OF
Honoring 20 influential women making a difference
in STEM education and beyond.
2021

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Allison Omlid
Arti Agrawal
Associate Professor (Adjunct)
School of Data and
Electrical Engineering,
University of Technology Sydney
About Arti
Arti’s current professional positions reflect her dual passions: Science and Social Justice. She is
currently an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney. She is also the
Director for Inclusion, Diversity and Involvement for Anthony Nolan, a blood cancer charity.
Previously Arti worked at City, University of London and was a Royal Society postdoctoral fellow.
Arti’s research interests lie in optics: modelling of photonic components such as solar cells, optical
fibers, sensors, lasers etc. and her PhD is on modelling methods for optical components. She is an
expert on numerical methods for optics such as Finite Element Method (FEM). She has written a
book on FEM, and edited a book on trends in computational photonics.
Arti is a Senior Member of the IEEE, OSA, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics and a
Chartered Engineer and Chartered Physicist. In 2020, she was awarded the IEEE Photonics Society
Distinguished Service Award as well as the OSA Diversity and Advocacy Recognition.
She writes a blog: http://artiagrawal.wordpress.com.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
Follow your passion, create support networks for yourself and others and do not silence yourself,
always be willing to help other women and minorities- treat them as comrades not competitors.
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue (and persist in)
Instructors can discuss the work of many female scientists in class and highlight their contribution.
Encourage curiosity girls and women in the class, and teach them to learn from every failed or
successful experiment.

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Allison Omlid
Dr. Liza Bondurant
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Delta State University
About Liza
Dr. Liza Bondurant is the Program Coordinator for the Secondary Mathematics Education program.
She focuses on the improvement of students' experiences with school mathematics, pre-service
teacher learning during teacher preparation, and contexts and experiences that support teacher
learning. She was selected as the College Teacher of the Year in 2020 by the Mississippi Council of
Teachers of Mathematics. She served as the President of the Mississippi Association of Mathematics
Teacher Educators 2017-2020. Dr. Bondurant enjoys staying active and crafting.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
Work hard and believe in yourself!
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue (and persist in)
Be a mentor and provide advice and support.

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Allison Omlid
Dr. Allison Davidson
Associate Professor of Statistics
Muhlenberg College
About Allison
I have been teaching a variety of statistics courses at Muhlenberg College for 7 years, starting
right after I finished up my grad school work at Purdue University. A good portion of my
teaching load is an intro-level statistics class using RStudio, for which my goals are to show
students how statistics is applicable to a variety of fields, how to ask good questions, and to
prepare students to independently perform analysis from developing a question, to gathering
appropriate data, exploring that data, and interpreting the results. My research interests are in
probability, data visualization, and statistics education. Aside from teaching, I am a wife, mother
of two, love the outdoors, and enjoy a plethora of different types of art!
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
For women entering STEM careers, I would advise them to find others in their field that they
look up to (that are several steps ahead of them). Make connections and form relationships
with those whom you can ask questions and mentor you along the way.
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue (and persist
I think students benefit from being shown opportunities in your field (or related fields). They
often don't know the paths they can take, careers they may pursue, so showing them a variety
of options would be helpful as they navigate their interests.

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Allison Omlid
Lauren Dudley
Professor, Instructional Faculty
of Chemistry
Chapman University
About Lauren
Lauren Dudley is currently working on a PhD in Education after obtaining a
Masters Degree in Organic chemistry. Her research investigates the relationship
between chemistry misconceptions held by university students and their
organic chemistry self-efficacy. Professor Dudley strives to bring real life
application into the classroom while focusing on identifying and mitigating
barriers to success in higher education chemistry courses.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
Every woman brings a new perspective and personality that is key to adding
creativity in STEM. Never change who you are or what you stand for as you are
what STEM needs!
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue
areas of study?
Instructors can be active in equal representation of all people by presenting
research and discoveries by women and underrepresented minorities.

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Allison Omlid
Dr. Melanie Good
Lecturer of Physics
University of Pittsburgh
About Melanie
Dr. Melanie Good is a Lecturer from the University of Pittsburgh. She earned her MS in
observational astronomy and her PhD in physics education research at the University of
Pittsburgh, completing the latter in 2018. In 2009 she co-founded an exoplanet research group
which remains active to this day. She has 11 years of university teaching experience, and has
received awards for teaching and course transformation. Melanie is also a consultant with Wiley,
producing introductory physics video content. Her physics education research is ongoing, with
projects related to stress and mindfulness interventions for introductory physics students, and
the prevalence of academic dishonesty in introductory physics classes.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
Believe in yourself and give yourself credit for your accomplishments.
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue (and persist
Teachers have a profound impact on their students. Make the learning experience engaging,
actively involve your students, and remember to reward the journey and the growth of your
students, which will help them embrace a growth mindset, a key ingredient to persistence.

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Allison Omlid
Tara Hamilton-Fay
Biology Faculty Specialist
University of Scranton
About Tara
Tara has been a Faculty Specialist in the Biology Department for 13 years. She
has taught Human Anatomy and Physiology (and loves using WileyPLUS for
this course), General Physiology, a first-year seminar called Explore NEPA, and a
travel course called Extreme Physiology.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
You belong in STEM and your contributions are valuable.
Know and embrace that.
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue
areas of study?
Encourage them to find the things they’re excited about and interested in and
commit to them. Out any biases you might have aside and believe in them. Tell
them that you support them and are proud of them!

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Allison Omlid
Dr. Donna K. Jean
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Park University
About Donna
Dr. Donna Jean was born in Fairfield, California, near Travis AFB. She grew up in rural
Oklahoma, where she attended Calvin Public Schools until graduation. She later received a BS
in Chemistry from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant. She attended Louisiana
State University in Baton Rouge for her doctorate in Chemistry.
Dr. Jean has been at Park University for 14 years and serves as the Director of the Liberal
Education Program and Associate Professor of Chemistry. She has been teaching chemistry at
the undergraduate level since 1997. She is married with one child and two pandemic puppies,
Toby, a miniature dachshund, and Max, a Bouvier des Flandres.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
Be confident in your abilities. Be open to criticism, but be true to yourself.
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue (and persist
I try to be a good role model for my students, showing excitement and curiosity for the field of
chemistry.

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Allison Omlid
Terry Ann Laesser
Instructor of Science, Robotics,
& AP Computer Science
Melvindale High School
About Terry
I love being a STEM teacher! As a woman teaching in male-dominated fields, such as physics,
computer science, and robotics, I set an example by breaking gender norms and achieving high
success rates. I coach an award-winning robotics team that is equally balanced between males
and females while being almost entirely minority students. I work to disrupt gender inequity
wherever it is presented to my students. In this manner, my students learn that there are no limits
to what they can achieve.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
Your goals, your grit, and your determination define you, not your gender. Never settle for less
than anything but your finish line.
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue (and persist in)
Lead by example! if you are not a woman teaching in STEM, then bring them women in STEM
fields who can share their journeys and their experiences with them. Take them to STEM career
centers and let the students get their hands on projects. Make your classroom a Project Based
Learning Classroom. Learning science is doing science. Becoming a STEM leader is doing STEM
activities every day in your classroom. Facilitate that for your students, guide them along the way,
but let them discover the path.

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Allison Omlid
Allison Omlid
Instructor
Western Oregon University
About Allison
My goal as an instructor is to challenge, encourage, and support my students
to tap their creativity, commitment, and “drive” to make the world a better
place.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
Be confident, creative, and adventurous.
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue
areas of study?
Instructors need to embrace diversity and provide inclusive environments
where all students feel welcome, challenged, and respected.

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Allison Omlid
Kristi Rieg
Professor of Mathematics
Merced College
About Kristi
Kristi Rieg is a Math professor at Merced College, located in Central California. She has been
teaching for 20 years, including 14 years at the college level. She teaches all classes from
Prealgebra to Differential Equations but her favorite classes are the at the developmental level. It is
exciting to see the confidence level increase throughout the semester in students who are
reentering school after taking time off as well as in the students who are self-described “bad at
math”.
Kristi has 4 children, 2 sons and 2 daughters. In her free time, she enjoys running and working out
with her kids as well as spending time with all of the animals on her property..
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
My advice for women entering STEM careers is to hold firm to what you believe in. You will meet
many people who support you and believe in you, but sometimes that one naysayer can get under
your skin. You earned your place in your STEM career and we need innovative women like you!
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue (and persist in)
I think honest praise is the best way to encourage anyone to pursue and persist in STEM. When
finding themselves in a moment of self doubt, remind the student that they are here for a reason.
They have worked hard to get where they are!

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Allison Omlid
Amanda
Rosenzweig, PhD
Meritorious Professor,
Department Chair of Biology
Delgado Community College
About Amanda
Dr. Amanda Rosenzweig earned a Ph. D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of
New Orleans in 2012 and has a M.S. in biology from the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
Teaching at Delgado Community College (DCC) since 2003, she is a meritorious professor of
biology and is the lead instructor for anatomy and physiology I. In 2018, Dr. Rosenzweig was
appointed as the college-wide biology department chair. She concurrently serves as the director
of Science Teacher Technology Training at DCC.
Additionally, Dr. Rosenzweig has served as an instructional designer on numerous grants for course
design and delivery, like HyFlex, and she created and currently serves as the facilitator for Teach and
Learn/eProfessor, a multi-course series that focuses on accessibility, online course development and
instructional design. She recently completed her Online Learning Consortium Digital Accessibility
Badge and is currently enrolled in a Master’s Certificate program for Accessibility Studies. Her
enthusiasm and drive to ensure student success and progressive change is evidenced by the honor
bestowed as recipient of the 2015-2016 Seymour Weiss Excellence in Teaching Award.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
Feed your curiosity. Being a female is not an obstacle to entering a STEM career, it is an asset. You do
not need to know the answers to engage in STEM. Finding and researching is part of the fun.
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue (and persist in)
I believe young women seeing other women in the field the first step. If we aspire to inspire others,
changes will occur. Participating in STEM events, Science Days, and offering these opportunities to
individuals at a young age allows them to form their first fascination of STEM.

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Allison Omlid
Dr. Shawn
Shields Lyons
Professor of Chemistry
Germanna Community College
About Shawn
Dr. Shawn Shields Lyons is a Professor of Chemistry at Germanna Community College. She has
been teaching chemistry at Germanna Community College for eight years, and taught at
Washington University in St. Louis as a Lecturer before that for five years. She earned both her B.A.
in Chemistry (2001) and her Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry (2007) at Washington University in St.
Louis. Shawn currently teaches Introductory chemistry, General Chemistry I and II, and Organic
Chemistry I and II (lecture and lab) in both in-person and online formats. Shawn loves helping
students at all levels succeed in learning chemistry, while hoping they enjoy it, as well.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
Choose your path and stick with it, even when classes get tough. STEM courses are difficult and
take work for everyone, so just because a subject might seem hard, it doesn’t mean you don’t
belong in the field! Stereotype threat is real for women and minorities, so don’t underestimate it.
Persist and find other women in the classroom and in the field, and then support each other. If you
earn a B or C in a class, it does NOT mean you aren’t good at it and don’t belong in STEM.
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue (and persist in)
One of the best ways is to make sure that all students feel comfortable in any introductory (or
gateway) STEM courses that you teach. Watch pronouns and names of students in the examples
that you use, as these can subtly increase stereotype threat in women (and minorities). Another
thing you can do is let them know that STEM disciplines are hard for everyone, and we all have to
work hard to become skilled and apply what we learn.

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Allison Omlid
Dr. Courtney Smith-
Orr
Teaching Assistant Professor of
Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of North Carolina
at Charlotte
About Courtney
As an engineering professor, my goal is to make my classroom a safe space for students to a) see
their ability to become the engineers they dreamed of becoming, and b) begin the process of
sharing their identity, creativity, and enthusiasm for learning with the future engineering community.
My journey to engineering began at Norfolk State University where I earned my Bachelor's Degree in
Optical Engineering and my Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. My experiences as a
research mentor, in flexible neural probe fabrication, led me to realize that teaching and mentoring
within my field were my actual passion. This led me to commit to education and earn my PhD in
Engineering Education from Virginia Tech, where I studied the mentoring experiences of African
American women in engineering. In my first five years of teaching at UNC Charlotte, I have worked
to aid and encourage my colleagues in adopting different active learning techniques, including
designing an active learning classroom within the department. In my time as a professor, I am most
appreciative of the students who have allowed me to move beyond teaching and into mentoring
them. I am also a proud wife and the mother of a future STEMer.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
Find SEVERAL mentors. You are a multifaceted individual and it will require several people to provide
you support, guidance, sponsorship, and understanding that meet the many realms of your current
and future identities. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue (and persist in)
Be your authentic self there is a student looking for someone they can identify with to reassure them
that they belong in STEM. As much as we can encourage students that engineering needs diverse
perspectives and lived experiences we have to show them that we too represent and appreciate
those qualities in our students.

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Allison Omlid
Kendra Walther
Associate Director and
Senior Lecturer, Information
Technology Program
USC Viterbi School of
Engineering
About Kendra
Kendra Walther is a Senior Lecturer and Associate Director of the Information Technology
Program (ITP) at the University of Southern California. She oversees the Programming minor in
ITP at the Viterbi School of Engineering. Kendra is an enthusiastic and passionate teacher who
cares for her students and is on a journey of improving higher education by exploring learning
theory, inclusive design, and collaborative methods of enhancing the student experience.
Kendra is involved in computer science education efforts through ACM-SIGCSE and the CS for
CA coalition. Additionally, Kendra represents USC in Teach Access and Access Computing
communities in order to promote accessibility, inclusivity, and diversity within computer science.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
Be true to who you are - regardless of advice to the contrary, STEM fields need women who can
authentically be themselves and not change in order to fit in. Work on being a mentor to others
and hopefully find your own community of mentors along the way.
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue (and persist
Reach out, check in, and share that feeling imposter syndrome or not fitting is are common
feelings for many individuals. Demystify the process of studying STEM and create inclusive
learning environments where the process of what success looks like is clearly defined and open
to everyone.

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Allison Omlid
Dina Yagodich
Professor of Mathematics
Frederick Community College
About Dina
Dina is a mathematics professor at Frederick Community College, teaching everything from the
"I hate math" math class to Differential Equations, teaching for the past 17 years. She has a
Bachelor's degree from Cornell University in Electrical Engineering, and two Master's degrees
from Johns Hopkins University in Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics.
What advice do you have for women entering STEM careers?
You can do it! You don't have to be a perfect A+ student to take upper-level math. The best
engineers were B students in college!
How can instructors help encourage young women to pursue (and persist
Be great examples and don't hesitate to speak of the obstacles that you can face AND
overcome!

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Fredericka Brown,
PhD, MBA, PE
Associate Professor,
Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Tyler
Gloria Childress Townsend
Professor of Computer Science
DePauw University
Andrea Lawrence, PhD
Associate Professor, Computer
and Information Sciences
Spelman College
Carrie Russell
Professor of Practice
Clemson University
Kellie Grasman
Assistant Director for
Technology-Informed Pedagogy
University of Michigan
College of Engineering