In recognition of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, writers Susanne Pallo and Leslie Orr talked with nine inspiring women working in science at the Medical Center.

Be curious and inquisitive. Cultivate relationships with mentors. Never limit yourself. Follow your heart.

These are just a few pieces of advice for young women and girls interested in science gleaned from Pallo’s conversations with:

• B. Paige Lawrence, chair and Wright Family Research Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine.
• Juliee Thakar, associate professor of microbiology and immunology, biostatistics and computational biology, and biomedical genetics.
• Alayna Loiselle, associate professor of orthopaedics, and biomedical engineering, and pathology and laboratory medicine.
• Angela Branche, associate professor of medicine, infectious diseases.
• Katherine Escalera-Rivera, graduate student in the PhD program in pathology – cell biology of disease.

Learn more.

Orr notes that nearly 40 percent of Wilmot Cancer Institute research members are women. Half of its recent post-doctoral fellows are women. All of Wilmot’s research programs include female leaders, and its executive committee includes three women.

Learn more in her Q&A with these talented up-and-coming female scientists:

• Aslihan Petenkaya Ambeskovic, a data scientist studying cancer cells and gene function.
• Po-Ju Lin, who is staking out a career in exercise, nutrition, and cancer.
• Nicole O’Dell, an education researcher whose job is to help the next generation of cancer scientists find their niche.
• Elizabeth Pritchett, who focuses on the most basic aspects of DNA, RNA, and cell function.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent belligerent behavior toward neighboring Ukraine has already caused NATO allies to close ranks and work in much greater unity, says Randall Stone, a political science professor and the chair of the Department of Political Science.

Now, Putin “has created a trap for himself and is ending up in a weaker position,” according to Stone, who is also the director of the University’s Skalny Center for Polish and Central European Studies. An expert on Russia and US-Russian relations, Stone notes that the current situation “feels like back to the future,” 31 years after Ukraine gained independence from the former Soviet Union and when “we thought we had moved past this stage.”

In a recent public lecture on the River Campus, Stone argued that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would ultimately militarize NATO and render Russia less secure.

Learn more in a Q&A with Stone and Sandra Knispel.

How people think about climate change, its causes, and its effects often relates to their social and cultural commitments and political identities. Research shows that rural communities across the United States are more likely to doubt or dismiss climate change.

So how do students in conservative places understand and interact with climate science relative to their places in the world? How can educators effectively reach students who might resist learning about the subject?

Kevin Meuwissen, associate professor and chair of teaching and curriculum at the Warner School of Education, and coauthors Joseph Henderson ‘14W (PhD), lecturer in the environment and society department at Paul Smith’s College, and David Long, associate professor of middle grades and secondary education at Morehead State University, argue that methods of climate change education focused primarily on the depth and conclusiveness of scientific evidence may not be effective.

Instead, after years of teaching courses on the social and cultural implications of climate change and studying the outcomes of those courses, they urge a broader shift in addressing rural students’ identities and political and cultural economies, alongside scientific investigations of climate change and its local impacts.

This shift and the types of educational projects capable of mitigating resistance to climate change science among political conservatives are described in their article “What is Climate Change Education in Trump Country?” published in Educational and Developmental Psychologist, and discussed on an episode of WXXI Connections.

In conducting a thorough comparative analysis of course materials, including syllabi, lesson plans, course assignments, student essays, and classroom discourse over four years, they found that the most effective way to teach and learn about climate change is to dive deeper into the social, political, and cultural understandings that accompany their students’ interactions with the subject matter. The team also acknowledges the need to demonstrate how the climate crisis is situated in patterns of human activity, both globally and locally. Learn more.

Rob Clark, professor of mechanical engineering, who joins Institute of Optics alumnus Stephen Fantone ’79 (PhD) and SpaceX founder Elon Musk among 111 newly elected members of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Election to the NAE is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.

Clark, the former provost, senior vice president for research, and dean of the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, is being recognized for innovation resulting from a collaboration with Duke biologist Philip Benfey in the “development of automated tools for rapidly identifying and indexing desirable genetic traits for next-generation seed and biotechnology product development.” Learn more.

A new free, online course “Community Engagement in Research and Population Health,” developed by Theresa Green, director of Community Health Policy and Education at the Center for Community Health & Prevention and assistant professor of Public Health Sciences, has been launched on Coursera.

Coursera provides access to many Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) such as this, and can be viewed all over the world.

Course participants will explore the importance of engaging community as researchers, educators, and managers to improve the health of the population. Learn how health systems are changing to better measure and address community needs, both inside and outside of health care delivery.

Enrolled individuals will:

• Gain an understanding of the changing landscape of the health system.
• Learn how delivery systems work together to plan health improvement.
• Learn how effective community-based participation in research and intervention is crucial to developing effective solutions.

Users can learn at their own pace, with their own deadlines. The course is made up of informative videos and readings – with a few quizzes throughout. A certificate of completion is available at the end of the course, for a fee.

Supported and funded by the UR CTSI and the Center for Community Health & Prevention, the mini-grants are one-time grants of up to $2,000, awarded on a quarterly basis. This grant program focuses on addressing barriers to pursuing community health partnerships. Apply by noon Monday, February 21. Learn more.

The 2022 International College of Psychosomatic Medicine Meeting on “The Biopsychosocial Model: Past, Present, and Future” will take place from September 7–9 in Rochester.

The program will offer diverse keynote addresses, workshops, symposia, and presentations that highlight the biopsychosocial model.

Submit abstracts by February 28.

Do you have an exciting musical project to share with the world that needs funding?

The Eastman Institute for Music Leadership Grant and Mentorship program provides funding and mentorship to encourage new thinking and the development of innovative ideas in music.

The Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research grant provides funding for innovative projects focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion in all elements of our profession, with a prioritization of projects that advance antiracism work in the arts.

Apply by March 1. Find application and eligibility information here.

The Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester is seeking proposals for its 2022 Breast Cancer Research Grant Initiative.

Proposals must have the potential to yield significant breakthroughs in the following breast cancer research priorities: cause, prevention, prevention of metastasis, or cure.

Awards are available for pre-doctoral trainees/post-doctoral fellows ($25,000) or faculty ($50,000).

Proposals are due electronically by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, with hard copies to follow. Learn more.

The Summer Institute in Computational Social Sciences (SICSS) at the University is accepting applications until March 18, 2022.

The SICSS, which will be held May 9-20, gives students the opportunity to build an exciting computational social sciences project with a team of researchers, and is open to seniors planning to do a PhD, master’s students, PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and junior faculty within 7 years of their PhD.

There is no tuition for SICSS and the program will cover the cost of lunch, coffee, and snacks.

For more information on the program and how to apply, visit the SICSS website or email Professor Cantay Caliskan at cantay.caliskan@rochester.edu.