Women's History Month - March 2021
Berkeley Lab Resources & Events:
Women's History Month Learning Resources - Articles, Documentaries and More
Women@The Lab Virtual Awards Ceremony - Tuesday, March 30, 2021 - 3 pm
Berkeley Lab and the WSEC are proud to honor an outstanding group of women Lab employees for its fourth "Women @ The Lab" event. Click here for more information and event registrationSpeaker: Dr. Mayra Padilla - Wednesday, March 31, 2021 - 12:30 pm
The WSEC and LANA are proud co-host a talk by Dr. Mayra Padilla. Dr. Padilla is the Dean of Institutional Effectiveness & Equity at Contra Costa College. Dr. Mayra Padilla holds a bachelor’s degree in applied physics from UC Davis and a doctorate in neuroscience from UC Berkeley.
In Celebration of the Lab’s 90th Anniversary:
WSEC Photo Story - A gallery of photos of past WSEC and Women @ the Lab events.
Feature on Susan Hubbard, WSEC Executive Sponsor
Feature on Ina Reichel, WSEC Chair
Other Events & Resources:
Picture a Scientist Panel Discussion - Wednesday, March 24, 2021 - 12 noon
The producers of the Picture a Scientist documentary film will host a live virtual event in partnership with ProQuest and Scientific American, featuring Dr. Raychelle Burks, and Dr. Jane Willenbring, and Nobel prize-winning chemist Dr. Jennifer Doudna. This event is free and open to all. Registration Required.Finding Your Path: Women in Climate Action Careers - Wednesday, March 31 - 2 pm
You are invited to join women in climate action at Sandia National Laboratories, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the U.S. Department of Energy to learn about ways you can work in clean energy and climate action in government. You’ll also hear from the Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education about their website to find research and non-research opportunities. Meet the Women in Climate Action Who Give Us Hope
Mission
To address issues that affect the careers of women scientists and engineers, Berkeley Lab created the Women Scientists & Engineers Council (WSEC). The WSEC and Berkeley Lab’s Human Resources Department work in partnership to determine priorities and develop strategies for recruitment, retention, work life balance, and the empowerment of women scientists and engineers. Subcommittees focus on target areas and to address specific challenges. Key activities include:
Engaging division leaders in recruitment, retention, and development
Improving policies for work-life balance
Empowering women scientists through training and meeting people of influence
The WSEC is different from a traditional ERG because it is made up of members who are both Division-appointed as well as volunteers. There are three subcommittees that meet separately to work on WSEC goals: policy, networking, and empowerment. WSEC members meet quarterly in January, April, July, and October.
Celebrating Women
Building on the DOE’s Women @ Energy: STEM Rising project, the WSEC has held four Women@ The Lab events between 2013 - 2020. Read profiles of our honorees on the Women @ The Lab website.
The Visible Spectrum series spotlights talented, dedicated women employees at the Lab.
Activities
Monthly networking brown bags and coffee hours
Women@ The Lab event for FY20
Empowerment workshops
Celebrate Women's History Month
2020 Accomplishments
Hosted 8 brown bags showcasing Women@The lab honorees and IDEA topics
Hosted 5 networking coffee hours, including an all ERG coffee hour.
Organized and led monthly meetings of the Bay Area Networking Group.
Started collaboration with HR to study women retention, promotion, and salary data at the lab.
Worked with Organizational Learning & Development staff on incorporating microagression awareness trainings.
Worked with HR and onboarding team to help clarify pregnancy and disability leave information for new employees.
Worked with IDEA office on Covid-19/shelter in place survey and the situations effects on women employees.
Launched 2020 Women@The Lab nomination process.
Collaborated with Strategic Communications on Visible Spectrum interviews of women at the lab.
Participated in National Labs ERG leadership summit at LLNL.
Policy - Chairs: Laurie Stephey, Juliane Reinhardt
Networking - Chairs: Elizabeth Stuart, , Teresa Calarco
Empowerment - Chairs: Rita Kuo, Hang Deng
More information on committee missions, initiatives and accomplishments: WSEC Subcommittees
Chairs
Chair: Ina Reichel
Vice-Chair: Tammara Campbell
Chair Emeritus: Sole Toledano
Secretaries: Lauren Lui and Susan Tsutakawa
Subcommittee Chairs: Elizabeth Stuart, Laurie Stephey, Juliane Reinhardt, Teresa Calarco, Rita Kuo and Hang Deng
Executive Sponsors
Susan Hubbard, Associate Lab Director, Earth & Environmental Sciences Area
Horst Simon, Deputy Director for Research
Membership is open to all LBNL employees. We ask that every member join one or more of the subcommittees that carries out the objectives of the WSEC. Subcommittees include: Policy, Networking and Empowerment.
Contact Information
For more information, please contact the WSEC Executive Committee at wsec-excom@lbl.gov.