POWER+ Commemorating Women in Physics

While women have been historically underrepresented in the field of physics, female faculty members have steadily been growing in the Department of Physics. To commemorate and bring awareness of women faculty member contributions, the department organized an event for the community on April 17th, 2024.  

The Importance of Women Throughout History in Physics at CSU  

Heather Michalak, the Director of Little Shop of Physics wanted to honor Dr. Siu Au Lee, the first tenured female professor within the Department of Physics. When Michalak worked in Lee’s lab, they realized the impact of working with women in science.  

“It meant a lot to me to have that experience. I did not realize the shorthand of connecting with another woman in the department,” said Michalak.  

Using the Morgan Library as a resource, Michalak investigated the history of women faculty in Physics finding records of five other women faculty who preceded Lee, dating back to the 1910s.   

Michalak found that of the five: Mabel Hoyt, Dr. Renate Schmidt Bever, and Dr. Elizabeth Ivey were instructors; Dr. Caroline Urvater was an assistant professor, and Anna (Elwell) Gilbert was an assistant in physics.    

Women and others from underrepresented groups in physics have slowly started to grow. After Lee started in the 1980s, six more women have been faculty members in physics.  

This growth is game-changing because, while the percentage of women in the department is still low, the increasing presence of role models for women in this field is valuable and encouraging.  

Drawing inspiration from their findings and in honor of Lee, Michalak teamed up with Dr. Yulia Maximenko, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and creator of POWER+ to put the event together.  

The goal was to highlight the importance of each woman sharing stories of their life in the world of physics. “They all had intense lives. Most of them lived through the 20th century when it was hard to be a professional woman,” said Maximenko.  

The POWER+ Program  

Outside of this event, CSU is committed to supporting women and underrepresented groups in physics. Since August 2023, Maximenko focused on bringing together underrepresented students, faculty, and staff in the department.  

Maximenko established the Physics Organization for Women’s+ Empowerment and Resources Program, or POWER+. A group inclusive to all, bringing the physics community together and that helped organize the event.   

Since the event, Maximenko shared her belief that inspiration, justice and support help women and underrepresented groups continue on their path to careers in science.  

Sharing inspiring stories and recognizing contributions goes a long way. “By sharing relevant history, we can, as a community, support aspiring physicists within the department and beyond and truly promote diversity and excellence of women in science,” said Maximenko.