History

AWIS-PHL, the Philadelphia Chapter of the Association for Women in Science, was established in March 1987 by seven women scientists in Philadelphia and the greater Delaware Valley area, all members of the national AWIS organization. Corporate sponsorship in the first year provided a meeting site, and the chapter grew quickly, now numbering well over 100 members.

AWIS-PHL members represent a variety of scientific disciplines and working environments. Members are undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, technicians, career professionals, professors, project leaders, vice presidents, deans, research associates, teachers, and recruiters. They are employed at universities, colleges, large industries, government, and start-up biotech companies; many are self-employed consultants; some are retired and some are planning to re-enter the job market after a maternity or relocation hiatus.

Program meetings are held several times a year at locations throughout the Delaware Valley, interspersed with smaller events (book clubs, meet-ups, social gatherings, etc.) . Occasionally meetings are held jointly with other organizations such regional AWIS chapters and affiliates, Graduate Women in Chemistry at Penn (GWCP), Women Chemists Committee (WCC) of the American Chemical Society’s Philadelphia Section, and Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Programs include a networking meeting (usually in September) and the awards dinner in May. Other programs may feature scientific topics, often emphasizing achievements by women scientists; issues in women’s health; or career or professional development workshops or panels.

The emphasis in all AWIS-PHL programs and activities is networking and mentoring in all its possible forms—providing a scientific forum for undergraduate and graduate research, acting as role models, and providing career advice for postdocs and the newly employed, as well as established professionals. These goals are accomplished through programs at chapter meetings and participation in outreach programs at all educational levels. Of note, AWIS-PHL runs a highly successful mentoring circle program.

AWIS-PHL was selected in 1993 as one of the four most successful AWIS chapters in a three-year mentoring program funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to nurture the next generation of women scientists. In 1995, AWIS-PHL was one of ten local chapters selected to participate in a national mentoring program sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The chapter joined with SWE, the Philadelphia Section of the American Chemical Society, Women in Mathematics, and GWCP to conduct an intensive mentoring program at 25 colleges and universities in the Delaware Valley throughout the year.

The AWIS Star Chapter designation was awarded by AWIS National to those chapters that accomplished many of the key objectives outlined in the AWIS Strategic Plan and exemplify what a successful AWIS chapter program should look like. AWIS-PHL was frequently selected for this designation in recognition of our programming, membership, outreach, and networking successes. More recently, AWIS began awarding the Shooting Star designation The winning chapters were determined by AWIS’ Chapter Advisory Committee based on the information submitted in each chapter’s annual report. AWIS-PHL received this award in 2021 for Strategic Vision and in 2022 for Best All-Around Chapter!

In 2020-2021, AWIS-PHL undertook an intensive strategic planning process resulting our 2021-2026 Strategic Plan.