Join us for our monthly AWIS CAC meeting to socialize and discuss upcoming programming! Our new permanent meeting time will be the last Thursday of the month at 5 PM. The next meeting will be on Thursday, March 28th, starting at 5:00 PM CT. Join using this Zoom link!
If you have any questions or if you’d like to address a certain topic at our meeting, feel free to e-mail us at awiscommunications@gmail.com!
Join us for our monthly AWIS CAC meeting to socialize and discuss upcoming programming. Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, our regular February meeting is being pushed to the beginning of March. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, March 6th, starting at 5:00 PM CT. Join using this Zoom link!
If you have any questions or if you’d like to address a certain topic at our meeting, feel free to e-mail us at awiscommunications@gmail.com!
Join us for our monthly AWIS CAC meeting to socialize and discuss upcoming programming. The next meeting will be on Friday, January 26th, starting at 10:00 AM CT. Join using this Zoom link!
We apologize for the changes in scheduling! We are planning on getting back to a routine meeting schedule next month. If you can’t make the meeting but want to ask the board a question or propose a suggestion, please e-mail us at awiscommunications@gmail.com!
AWIS-CAC is excited to partner with the American Association of Pharmaceutical Sciences to host a free online workshop on financial literacy, led by Danny Quach.
When: January 26th, 2023 from 3 – 4 PM CST
Where: https://uic.zoom.us/j/88580294286?pwd=SmtnK3RTT09aNnRCT1h6TjVYU2phUT09
Danny Quach is presently immersed in the world of pharmacoeconomics, pursuing a PhD at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the Pharmacy Systems Outcomes and Policy program. Armed with a solid foundation in business finance and mathematics from his undergraduate studies at UCSD, Danny brings a wealth of investing knowledge to the table. His journey has been enriched by internships at financial institutions and centers.
Fueling his passion for personal finance, Danny is dedicated to assisting individuals in reaching their financial milestones. His commitment to personal finance has seen him as a speaker at personal finance conventions and conferences, where he has shared insights on a diverse array of topics. In the realm of personal finance, Danny’s overarching goal is to enhance financial literacy and empower individuals to navigate their personal finances with confidence.
For her research applying synthetic biology to engineer anaerobic acetogen for the production of fuels and chemicals.
I am Shivani Garg. I am a Synthetic Biologist working at LanzaTech, a gas fermentation company based in Chicago, Illinois, USA. I obtained my Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Iowa State University.
During my graduate studies, I embarked on an entrepreneurial endeavor, founding a biotechnology start-up, OmegaChea Biorenewables, focused on harnessing microbial fermentation to convert sugars into lubricants. Though the start-up faced challenges and did not traverse the valley of death, it served as a profound learning experience for me.
Subsequently, my academic pursuit brought me to the Metabolic Engineering laboratory at Rice University in Houston for post-doctoral training. Here, I delved into the realm of gas fermentation, a fun journey that led me to Intrexon in San Francisco where I worked on converting methane to fuels. Destiny steered me back to the Midwest in 2018, where I found my professional home at LanzaTech, and have been working on anaerobic gas fermentation to convert syngas into fuels and chemicals.
My passion lies in harnessing the immense natural diversity present in enzymes and microbes, adeptly engineering them to synthesize invaluable products otherwise reliant on conventional chemical processes. Over my 15-year career traversing both academic and industrial spheres, I have contributed to diverse projects ranging from fermentation of sugars to fermentation of gases (methane and carbon dioxide) to make fuels and chemicals.
I remain committed to pushing the boundaries of scientific innovation, continually striving to transform theoretical possibilities into tangible solutions that positively impact our world.
Join us for our monthly AWIS CAC meeting to socialize and discuss upcoming programming. The next meeting will be on Monday, November 27th, starting at 7:00 PM CT. Join using this Zoom link!
Can’t make the meeting but want to ask the board a question or propose a suggestion? E-mail us at awiscommunications@gmail.com!
Join AWIS-CAC at Midwest Coast Brewing Company for our Annual Awards and Networking Event on Thursday, December 7th from 6 -7:30 PM . This year, we will be celebrating the winners of our 2023 Innovator and Motivator Awards with an in-person event featuring networking and happy hour. All are welcome, but space is limited! Food will be provided.
Event schedule:
6 – 6:15 PM: Opening cocktails
6:15 – 6:25 PM: Welcome speech by Sasha Prokuda, Executive Director for the Chicago Council on Science and Technology
6:30 – 6:45 PM: Presentation of 2023 Innovator and Motivator Awards
6:45 – 7:30 PM: Networking
2023 Innovator Award – Mid/Senior Career: Shivani Garg, Ph.D., Project Manager, Strain Engineering, LanzaTech Inc.
For her research applying synthetic biology to engineer anaerobic acetogen for the production of fuels and chemicals.
2023 Innovator Award – Early Career: Sruti Dammalapati, M.S., Scientist, AI & Computational Biology, LanzaTech Inc.
For her research on high-performing biocatalysts using computer-guided methods and applied machine learning techniques to model systems.
2023 Innovator Award – Early Career: Ashwini Bedekar, Ph.D., Research Scientist, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
For her research contributions to environmental biotechnology and bioprocess engineering. Specifically, for her research on the biological conversion of methane through the use of methane-eating bacteria to mitigate climate change and utilize waste gases.
2023 Motivator Award – Mid/Senior Career: Marilene Pavan, Innovation Manager, LanzaTech Inc.
For her development of the first-ever mentorship program at LanzaTech, along with her continued dedication to mentoring women in STEM through her participation in AWIS-CAC’s Summer Mentoring Circles, Northwestern University’s scientific internship program, and the iGEM Uganda Team.
2023 Motivator Award – Mid/Senior Career: Hilary Kenny, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor, University of Chicago
For her demonstration of continued dedication to the support and mentorship of women in STEM disciplines.
2023 Motivator Award – Early Career: Lucille Ray, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Illinois Chicago
For her dedication to mentorship and education for women and LGBTQIA+ persons in STEM through her participation in ComSciCon 2022’s “Advocating for Science” and IIT’s “Queer in STEM” panels, in addition to her continued support of aspiring research scientists in her positional as a postdoctoral fellow.
Expanding Your Horizons is a one-day STEM conference for girls in grades 6-8 living in the Chicagoland area. Through the conference, we hope to excite participants about the opportunities available to them in STEM by engaging them in fun, hands-on workshops. The conference will be held in person on a Saturday in mid-to-late March 2024. They are currently recruiting individuals to design and lead workshops that will excite middle school girls about topics in STEM.
Each workshop should plan to host 10-15 girls and be about 45-60 minutes long. While we require that the primary leader for each workshop identify as a woman or nonbinary individual working in a STEM field, we welcome male members of the community to be workshop co-leaders. To get a sense for what workshops have looked like in the past, please take a look at workshop descriptions from 2023 here.
If you are interested in hosting a workshop, the application can be found at this link. Applications are due by November 10, 2023. If you know someone who may be interested in leading a workshop, we would greatly appreciate your help in spreading the word.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email eyh.chicago.workshopcommittee@gmail.com, and thank you for considering our request!
Arise Firebird is looking for volunteers to help at this year’s Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association Annual Conference!
Location: Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, 301 East North Water Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611 USA.
Tuesday, 7 November 2023 – 12:30 PM CT to 2:00 PM CT
Tuesday, 7 November 2023 – 3:00 PM CT to 4:30 PM CT
Wednesday, 8 November 2023 – 10:30 AM CT to 12:15 PM CT
Volunteers will help decorate the exhibition table/ area and be there during these hours. Engaging with attendees directly to maximize the impact of Arise Firebird’s presence.
Want to volunteer or have questions? Reach out to community@folajimiworldwide.com !
AWIS-CAC is currently recruiting volunteers to help with a variety of different initiatives within our organization. All are welcome! We are currently looking for help in areas such as :
Are you interested in volunteering for AWIS-CAC? We’d love to hear from you! E-mail us at awiscommunications@gmail.com to volunteer or for more information about volunteer opportunities!