Mentoring is Key to Increasing Women in STEM Fields

The power of mentoring and role modeling in STEM disciplines, particularly for women, will be the focus of the Connecticut Technology Council’s next webinar, featuring Dr. Sarah Wojiski, Director of Education at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX). Wojiski was the 2020 Women of Innovation® winner of the Large Business Innovation & Leadership category.

The webinar, to be held on Tuesday, April 20 at 12 Noon, comes as nominations are now open for the 2021 Women of Innovation® awards. The deadline for nominations is June 18, and additional information – including a listing of categories and qualifications – is available at www.womenofinnovation.org.

At JAX, Wojiski oversees education and training programs for a variety of audiences, from high school students and teachers through postdoctoral fellows. She will share her experiences in teaching, curriculum development and program administration in the sciences, sparked by her passion for promoting effective teaching practices and empowering future generations of the biomedical workforce. She describes it as the way forward to capturing the enthusiasm of young citizens on the importance of scientific inquiry.

Mentoring has been a hallmark throughout her career, as both a scientist and an educator. She has mentored countless students and colleagues to help them reach their academic and professional goals. Registrations for Tuesday’s webinar can be made at Eventbrite, at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/149163212183

The webinar will be moderated by Dr. Jacquelynn (Jackie) Garofano, a two-time Women of Innovation® honoree who earlier this month joined the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) team in the position of Chief Technology Officer (CTO). She joins CCAT after a nearly decade-long career at Raytheon Technologies and two decades of materials research experience.

The Women of Innovation® Spotlight monthly webinar series features women from the network of more than 800 previous honorees, as well as members of the upcoming 2021 class. This live, interactive program is held the 3rd Tuesday of each month. The webinars will include compelling stories highlighting these women's current work as well as the career paths that contributed to their success.

Women of Innovation® Awards to be Held This Fall

The 17th annual Women of Innovation® awards program will be a virtual event this fall. The prestigious awards highlight the increasing impact of women innovators, role models, and leaders in science and technology professions throughout Connecticut, and also recognize outstanding young women at the high school and collegiate level pursuing technology studies.

The highly regarded annual event is presented by the Connecticut Technology Council (CTC) and Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT).

Nominations are being accepted in the following categories of Innovation & Leadership: Youth, Collegian, Secondary Academic, Postsecondary Academic, Research, Community, Entrepreneurial, Small Business, Medium Business and Large Business. An award will also be given for Inspiring STEM Equitability, presented to an individual for promoting equality and diversity in STEM.

Following a review of nominees’ credentials by expert judges after the nominations deadline on June 18, the finalists for the Women of Innovation® awards will be announced in July. Finalists will be selected based on their professional experience, history of innovation, ability to think creatively and solve problems and demonstration of leadership. Students will be judged on inventiveness and accomplishment in science and technology and academic achievement.

Sponsorship information for the 17th annual Women of Innovation® awards is available by contacting Maureen Lord at mlord@ct.org. For more information about Women of Innovation®, go to www.womenofinnovation.org.

The Connecticut Technology Council is a statewide, member-based trade association focused on uniting and growing Connecticut's technology community by connecting leaders, driving public policy, and providing needed resources to growing tech companies. The CTC works together with members and the community at large to advance Connecticut's reputation as a technology state. The Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit, validates, demonstrates, and encourages the adoption of leading-edge technologies into global industrial companies and the advanced manufacturing supply chain, while also providing the training and education necessary to utilize the capability of these advancements and drive efficiency.