A collaborative moment among women scientists at the UCLA symposium.
On March 6, the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center hosted its inaugural Women in Stem Cell Science Symposium, marking the center’s 20th anniversary. The event celebrated the significant contributions of women in stem cell research, featuring inspiring speeches from Chancellor Julio Frenk and prominent scientists. With the aim of empowering future generations, the symposium highlighted the importance of representation and community support for women in STEM fields. The subsequent three-day summit further emphasized diversity and inclusion in science, showcasing keynotes from distinguished professionals and providing insight into overcoming barriers.
The sun was shining bright over Los Angeles as the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center hosted its very first Women in Stem Cell Science Symposium on March 6. This exciting event was designed not just to mark the center’s 20th anniversary, but also to celebrate the remarkable contributions made by women in the ever-evolving field of stem cell research. It was a day filled with inspiration, achievement, and a commitment to paving the way for future generations of female scientists.
To kick off the event, Chancellor Julio Frenk took to the stage to share a heartfelt speech. He highlighted the incredible accomplishments the center has achieved over the past two decades while shining a light on a critical statistic: women make up only one-third of researchers worldwide. It was emphasized that equity is an essential component in shaping the future of science, and that the center is dedicated to inspiring young girls from K-12 while also supporting female faculty and leaders in the scientific community.
The symposium featured prominent UCLA stem cell scientists like Aparna Bhaduri, Yvonne Chen, and Amander Clark, who shared their research and experiences. Celia Adelson, the executive director of the center, proudly pointed out that many of the faculty recruited 20 years ago were female scientists, and the event was a fantastic showcase of their hard work and results.
The event moderator, Judith Gasson, explained how the symposium aimed to improve public communication about the center’s research while also shining a spotlight on the incredible women leading the charge in STEM. Celina Yu, a fourth-year molecular, cell, and developmental biology student, couldn’t stop raving about how valuable the event was for anyone considering a career in STEM.
Yvonne Chen took the stage to address the unique challenges women face, particularly when it comes to balancing research demands with outreach efforts. Her lab focuses on innovative T-cell cancer therapies, and she emphasizes the importance of having strong female representation for young students. Meanwhile, Aparna Bhaduri discussed her fascinating research on human brain development and brain cancer, crediting her supportive male colleagues and female mentors for assisting her through the various bumps in her scientific journey.
As Chen dreamt of a future where gender wouldn’t impact opportunities in STEM, Azra Cruz, another fourth-year biology student, highlighted how pivotal community support is for women navigating this field. The inspiring atmosphere created by these successful women made it clear that representation plays a critical role in influencing young minds, especially girls.
The celebration was just getting started, as UCLA also hosted a three-day summit titled “Women in STEM: Breaking Barriers.” This dynamic event featured a keynote speech by Nobel Prize-winning astronomy professor Andrea Ghez, who encouraged attendees to explore and seek support in their scientific endeavors. The summit delved into topics like work-life balance and science communication while also opening the floor to both undergraduate and graduate students to share their experiences.
Day two of the summit brought forth inspiring stories from postgraduate women, featuring a talk by Nadia Gil, who made a leap from Wall Street to Google. The final day focused on promoting STEM to high school students, offering career exploration sessions and captivating science demonstrations that aimed to spark interest in budding scientists.
Throughout the symposium and summit, the importance of intersectionality and diversity was made abundantly clear. UCLA is firmly committed to increasing representation in STEM through initiatives like the Physical Sciences Diversity Committee. While it’s true that gender disparities in STEM have improved over the years, women still find themselves underrepresented in specific fields, particularly in engineering and computer science. To combat this, female students are encouraged to dive into physics and related subjects to counteract the long-term gender gaps in these fields.
With UCLA being recognized as the 22nd best institution for supporting women studying STEM online, organizations like Advancing Women in Science and Engineering (AWiSE) continue to mentor and conduct outreach for women in the industry. There’s a shared understanding that early enthusiasm for STEM can wane without visible female role models, and continued investment in women-focused initiatives aims to create a more equitable environment in STEM education and careers.
The inaugural Women in Stem Cell Science Symposium and the subsequent summit provided an engaging platform for women in STEM, proving that collaboration, mentorship, and community support can indeed break the barriers that still exist in the world of science.
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