Janet Hering, Director Emerita, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, will give a talk as part of the Climate Science Series. Hosted by the Harvard University Center for the Environment. Co-sponsored by the EPS-ESE DIB Council. 

Open to the Harvard community. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP here: https://www.addevent.com/event/Jq18802283.

ABSTRACT: Despite many arguments to increase the representation of women in academic leadership in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM), progress continues to be slow. Presentations on this topic often start with a description of the problem. Since I would prefer not to spend time on this, I have shared a list of five "starting points of (assumed) agreement" that can be viewed at the link below. With this, I hope to have more time for discussion, which can include the "starting points…" if I have overestimated our agreement. My presentation will address the systemic barriers to women’s advancement and how they can be overcome. I will explore these issues in the context of the responsibility of universities and academic research institutions to address major challenges facing society.

STARTING POINTS: https://polybox.ethz.ch/index.php/s/lfqoc0okJdaaosL 

BIO: Professor Janet Hering retired as Director of the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science & Technology (Eawag) and Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETHZ) and Lausanne (EPFL) in 2022. Prior to moving to Switzerland in 2007, Professor Hering was a faculty member at Caltech and UCLA. She is a former Associate Editor of Environmental Science & Technology and a former member of the Board of Reviewing Editors for Science. She is an elected member of the US National Academy of Engineering and Academia Europaea. Over her career, Professor Hering’s research interests have included the biogeochemical cycling of trace elements in natural waters, treatment technologies for the removal of inorganic contaminants from drinking water, and knowledge exchange at the interface of science with policy and practice. She has also been very engaged in promoting diversity in academia, particularly in supporting women in academic leadership. She received a Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering Award from the IUPAC in 2015. Professor Hering was the founding Vice Chair of the ETH Women Professors Forum, serving as Vice Chair from 2012–2016 and Chair from 2016–2020.

Contact: huce@environment.harvard.edu