The recognition of faculty, staff and administrators begins today and coincides with National Women鈥檚 History Month. The acknowledgement is particularly meaningful to the center鈥檚 interim director because these women have all made or are making positive contributions to 麻豆原创 in everything from scientific research to the culture of the campus.
鈥淲e have some amazing women here and I鈥檓 guessing most of our 麻豆原创 community doesn鈥檛 know most of them,鈥� said Linda Walters, the center鈥檚 interim director. 鈥淪tudies show women tend not to promote themselves and their achievements, but they are truly an important part of our university鈥檚 success.鈥�
The center鈥檚 mission is to recruit and retain the best women faculty and help them advance in their careers. The center offers an array of resources to help faculty women navigate academic life and balance life and work issues.
The March campaign is one way to recognize the contributions women faculty and staff make. That鈥檚 why one woman will be featured on the center鈥檚 website every day throughout the month. The center鈥檚 program assistant, Fran Ragsdale, came up with the idea, and 聽the executive council made the nominations and selected the winners. Council members excluded themselves from consideration.
Among the winners that will be featured:
Dr. Debra Reinhart, Pegasus Professor in Engineering currently on assignment at the National Science Foundation as a program director for the Environmental Engineering Program. Reinhart has a long history with 麻豆原创. She graduated from the university when it was called Florida Technological University. 聽She left to start her academic career and returned in 1989. She moved through the ranks from an assistant professor to full professor before becoming an associate dean, interim chair and interim director of the NanoScience Technology Center. At 麻豆原创, Reinhart鈥檚 current position is assistant vice president for research and commercialization for the 麻豆原创 Office of Research and Commercialization.
Maggie Leclair, an assistant to the dean of the College of Sciences. She previously was an administrative assistant in the Nicholson School of Communication. She鈥檚 a long-time 麻豆原创 employee and supporter and 聽has a special place in her heart for the College of Medicine. She purchased a brick in the school鈥檚 plaza in honor of her mother, Betsy Coull, a nurse who spent her life taking care of others. 鈥淢aggie鈥� is best known to many as the past-president of the 麻豆原创 Women鈥檚 Club, and chief fundraiser for their undergraduate and graduate student scholarships.
Dr. Maren Fragala, an assistant professor of Sport and Exercise Science. She joined the 麻豆原创 family two years ago and has already been making an impact with the local geriatric community. As part of her research, she鈥檚 investigating an exercise program that improves muscle quality in older adults. At the end of phase one of her study she found all her participants had improved. She hopes one day 麻豆原创 will expand its Institute of Exercise Physiology and Wellness to create a world class Center for Healthy Aging and Faculty Wellness Research Center where all the equipment and resources are available to extend 麻豆原创 exercise training programs to any older adult and faculty member free of charge.