Thirty-two women in STEM honored at UW’s Own It! Price | New

November 29, 2021

Thirty-two women were recognized at the sixth annual edition of Own It! from the University of Wyoming. Prize giving ceremony on November 15th.

Sponsored by the Wyoming Established Program to Boost Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium, Own It! strives to recognize women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) at UW. The celebration serves to increase the visibility of an often overlooked group in STEM, which can be fundamental in encouraging women to participate in science.

“Because the past two years have been more difficult, the planning committee decided to honor the 32 nominees for their contributions and achievements in STEM,” said Megan Candelaria, associate director of the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium.

Faculty, staff, students and a member of the community – with ties to several UW colleges and departments – were recognized at the awards ceremony.

The winners, classified by category, department or major, and hometowns for students, are:

Overall: a woman worth celebrating

– Erica Belmont, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

– Annie Bergman, Wyoming INBRE program manager.

– Megan Candelaria, Associate Director of the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium and Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

– Mercedes Cassidy, Zoology and Physiology, Burns.

– Madison Crawford, Zoology and Physiology, and Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Newcastle.

– Lindsey Freeman, Associate Lecturer in the School of Teacher Education.

– Alexandra Howell, Mechanical Engineering, Morrill, Neb.

– Deanna Lind, Animal Science, Castle Pines, Colorado.

– Michelle Mason, Physics and Astronomy, Clayton, California.

– Kelsey Ruehling, Zoology and Physiology, Three Rivers, California.

– Simone Runyon, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics.

– Katelin Scheuerman, chemical engineering, Worland.

– Jacqueline “JJ” Shinker, Professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics.

– Lauren Shoemaker, Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany.

– Alexandria Williams, chemical engineering, Burns.

Research: A woman who has made a significant contribution to her field of research

– Jenna Crouse, chemical engineering, Casper.

– Kristin Di Bona, co-founder and CEO of Wyonics.

Service: A woman who demonstrates service, leadership and mentorship among her peer group

– Lauren Biehle, Associate Clinical Professor at the School of Pharmacy.

– Claire Campion, Zoology and Physiology, Rochester, Minn.

– Ellen Currano, Associate Professor in the Department of Botany.

– Julia Dickie, chemical engineering, Cheyenne.

– Cassidy Enloe, chemical engineering, Big Horn.

– Hannah Jang-Condell, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

– Makayla Loveland, Zoology and Physiology, Parker, Colorado.

– Shawna McBride, Director of the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium and Senior Scientist in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

– Courtney Rainbolt, Chemical Engineering, Newcastle.

– Teaghen Sweckard, IT, Buffalo.

– Gunjan Tomar, petroleum engineer, Laramie.

Teaching: A woman who inspires teaching and learning in her community

– Christina Knox, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

– Lindsey Mitchell, Fisheries and Wildlife Biology and Management, and Environment and Natural Resources, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

– Leena Myran, Associate Clinical Professor at the School of Pharmacy.

Posters

– Biehle, “The Power of Peer Mentorship: A Multifaceted Mentorship for Women in Pharmacy”.

– Campion, “Hello darkness my old friend: Influence of light on Bombus impatiens breeding success.

– Taylor Hatcher, “Do Ion Channel Expression Underlie Differences in Bumblebee Cold Tolerance?” », Casper.

– Ellen Keaveny, “Body Size and Condition Predicts When of Spring Emergence of Bumble Bee Queens,” St. Louis, Mo.

– Williams, “Ethylene Synthesis by Genetically Modified Rhodococcus opacus PD630 in Synthetic Human Urine.”

Highlighted achievements

– “Phoebe the photon explores the universe”, a children’s book written and illustrated by Mason.

– Wyonics, a small company from Laramie, recently won a Small Business Innovation Research Grant to develop an instrumentation platform for micro to nanomanipulation and analytics. The company is owned by Di Bona, a former UW postdoctoral researcher.

For more information and to see highlights for each featured woman, visit www.wyomingspacegrant.org/wimse/own-it-2021/.