Who's Who in the Science of Aging: Executive Corner BACK

Published by AFAR

Welcome to AFAR’s newly created blog ‘Who’s Who in the Science of Aging.’ We are proud to showcase the individuals who promote the scientific understanding of the multiple factors involved in healthy aging and longevity. As you know, investigating the process of aging at the cellular level may not only help hasten scientific discovery of how to live a long and healthy life, but it may also help speed the development of therapies to delay the onset or slow the progression of chronic diseases linked to aging. We are delighted to dedicate our blog to the individuals who have advanced this mission.

In 2010, through our impressive scientific committees, AFAR awarded 155 grantees, 82 of whom are women. That’s 52%! Although our committees do not make decisions based on gender, we are pleasantly surprised to see a strong representation of women in our pool of grantees. This impressive statistic led us to contemplate the barriers and challenges women face in STEM careers (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and design our 2011 theme honoring the individuals who have helped push women to enter and to stay in science research. As a recent study from the United States National Academy of Sciences highlighted, the barriers women face are due to ‘unconscious but pervasive bias’ in evaluation processes and a historic system which bases childrearing and family responsibilities on the wife. The study also showed that women are generally paid less, promoted more slowly, receive fewer honors and hold fewer leadership positions.

We at AFAR would like to recognize and honor women scientists around the world who have surpassed these challenges. In addition, we would like to showcase individuals who work to eliminate these barriers and facilitate greater female representation in STEM fields. In doing so, we plan to dedicate our annual report and dinner to women in science, in addition to interviewing an individual each month of 2011 who has helped advance women’s involvement in science. We hope that you will enjoy reading these Q&A’s of amazing individuals and their courage to change the landscape of women in STEM careers. And, of course, we thank the reader for his or her support of the science of aging, and most importantly for 2011, the women who make it happen.

Stephanie Lederman, Executive Director
American Federation for Aging Research