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| Women’s Faculty Committee co-chairs Ann Salerno, MD, (far left) and Molly Waring, PhD, (far right) presented the 2015 Women’s Faculty Award to (from second left) Sarah Cutrona, MD; Marianne Felice, MD; Heather Forkey, MD; Patricia McQuilkin, MD; Melissa Fischer, MD; and Melissa Moore, PhD. |
The six honorees at UMass Medical School’s 15th Annual Women’s Faculty Awards were recognized for their individual accomplishments and collective contributions to advancing women in medicine and science at a luncheon held Wednesday, May 20.
“We’re making progress,” Chancellor Michael F. Collins said in his welcoming remarks. “We’re very committed to advancing the leadership role of women at our institution.”
In her keynote address, Associate Vice Provost for Gender & Equity Judith Ockene, PhD, elaborated on the chancellor’s statement with a message of optimism for faculty who are women—and men—at UMMS.
“We have a great track record right now, and we’ve come a long way,” said Dr. Ockene, the Barbara Helen Smith Chair in Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine and the winner of the 2007 Outstanding Mentoring Award. “We have gone from contemplation to action.”
In addition to enumerating dramatic increases in promotions and tenure granted to women faculty since the Women’s Faculty Committee was established in 2000, she cited measurable progress in closing the gender gap; achieving compensation equity; and increasing the proportion of women in higher academic rankings and leadership roles at UMMS, including six department chairs and 10 endowed chairs. UMMS now exceeds the averages for these metrics across the American Association of Medical Colleges membership.
Women’s Faculty Committee co-chairs Ann Salerno, MD, clinical associate professor of pediatrics, and Molly Waring, PhD, assistant professor of quantitative health sciences, presented the awards. The selection process was overseen by awards committee co-chairs Nancy Byatt, DO, assistant professor of psychiatry and obstetrics & gynecology, and Jane Saczynski, PhD, associate professor of medicine and quantitative health sciences.
Outstanding Community Service Award
Patricia McQuilkin, MD, clinical associate professor of pediatrics
Sarah Stone Excellence in Education Award
Melissa Fischer, MD, associate professor of medicine and associate dean for undergraduate medical education
Early Career Achievement in Science and Health Award
Sarah Cutrona, MD, assistant professor of medicine
Women in Science and Health Achievements Award
Melissa Moore, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Eleanor Eustis Farrington Chair in Cancer Research, professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology and co-director of the RNA Therapeutics Institute
Excellence in Clinical Service Award
Heather Forkey, MD, associate professor of pediatrics
Outstanding Mentoring Award
Marianne Felice, MD, professor of pediatrics and obstetrics & gynecology
