Chairs: Wei Feinstein and Shi Wang 

The Policy Subcommittee interacts with HR to improve Lab policies and make sure existing policies are applied fairly and consistently in order to make the Lab a family-friendly workplace that values work-life balance. To date, the Policy Subcommittee has reviewed data on women scientists, including: a head count over the past three years, hiring rates for women scientists, compensation comparables, and turnover and retention rates. This committee has also helped bring the back-up care system for emergency child and senior care and worked to make sure that lactation rooms are set up throughout the campus. 

Current Initiatives:

• Parental leave at the Lab

  • Improving Information and Resources

  • Improving Parental Leave Policies at the Lab 

• Stop the clock Policy Awareness

• Collaboration with HR to collect data about retention and promotion of women at the lab 

Chairs: Katie Carney and Andrea Taylor

The Networking Subcommittee provides networking opportunities to learn from successful women scientists and engineers through brown bag talks on their career choices. Events are open to Lab employees. 

Current Initiatives:

• Monthly Brown Bag Series, noon  2nd Tuesday of the month, generally in B54-110B (Pers Hall Annex) – watch for the announcements 

  • Topical, professional development (e.g., conflict resolution, negotiation)

  • Women@the Lab honoree speaker series

  • Invited speakers/career discussion

• With Empowerment – professional development workshops

• Annual Networking Forum scheduled for March, 2020 – Speaker and networking with lab leadership

• Exploring opportunities to network with SF Bay Area DOE & NASA sites, and with other women scientist organizations

Previous Accomplishments: 

• • Annual Networking Event: Held successful networking event to promote WSEC and its mission with 85 attendees.

  • Brown bags: Held brown bag sessions on topics including standing up for yourself in the face of micro-agressions, pitching research ideas and two Women @the Lab guest speakers, Qing Ji, Ph.D. and Mary Maxon, Ph.D.

  • Bay Area Labs Working Group: Took leadership role in establishing a working group made up of women’s' ERGs at Bay Area Labs: Livermore, Sandia, SLAC, NASA Ames.

  • Helped organize volunteers and participated in National Coming Out Day event with the Lambda Alliance ERG and EAA

Chairs: Baishakhi Bose and Liana Klivansky 

The Empowerment Subcommittee generates career and personal development opportunities, increasing visibility, funding potential and scientific impact of women scientists and engineers at LBNL. 

Current Initiatives:

• Hard and soft skill trainings and workshops for career development

• Increasing exposure to funding agencies and program managers

• Facilitating contact to journal editors

• Organization of Women @ The Lab to recognize LBNL’s women talent pool

• Increasing visibility of all women staff

Previous Accomplishments: 

• Sent out quarterly newsletters to committee members

• Organized workshop on Negotiation skills with 15 attendees

• Organized "The Leader within" workshop with 20 attendees 

• Organized "Owning your own value" workshop with 30 attendees