Monthly Archives: April, 2016

Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg Recognized for Career Achievement in Economics

An applied microeconomist, Dr. Goldberg, former chief economist of the World Bank Group, has fundamentally shaped the empirical study of global trade and development. She has been a faculty member in the department of economics and the Jackson School of Global Affairs at Yale University of the past 25 years.

Six Women Taking on New Dean Appointments at Universities

The new deans are Tomiko Brown-Nagin at Stanford University in California, Katherine Reeves at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Wendy N. Nembhard at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, MiSchelle A. Edwards at Jarvis Christian University in Texas, Marie Ripoll at the University of Pittsburgh, and Erika C. Burt at Oakton College in Illinois.

Recent Book Awards for Three Women Scholars at Universities

Vanderbilt University's Shatema Threadcraft received two book awards from the American Political Science Association. Lisa Messeri of Yale University was honored by the Society for Cultural Anthropology and Fiona Cunningham of the University of Pennsylvania was honored by Cornell University.

Ten Women Selected for Administrative Positions in Higher Education

Here is this week’s roundup of women who have been appointed to new administrative positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States. If you have news for our appointments section, please email the information to contact@WIAReport.com.

Niki Fogg Honored for Advancing Simulation-Based Nursing Education

"Done well, simulation doesn't just teach skills. It shapes safer, more thoughtful clinicians," said Dr. Fogg, an associate professor and assistant dean at the Texas Woman's University College of Nursing. "When it's interprofessional, it prepares them to work as part of the collaborative healthcare teams patients depend on."

New Endowed Professorships for Three Women in Academia

The women who have been appointed to endowed faculty positions are Uma Reddy at the Yale School of Medicine, Carolyn J. Anderson at the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Laura Murray-Kolb at Purdue University in Indiana.

Percentage of Women Among Physics Bachelor’s Degree Awards at an All-Time High

In the 2024–2025 academic year, women earned 27 percent of the 8,108 total bachelor's degrees in physics awarded by U.S. institutions. This is the highest proportion on record and more than double women's representation in the early 1980s.

Shelley Barkley Named the First Woman President of Spoon River College in Illinois

Dr. Barkley is slated to become the first woman president of Spoon River College on August 31. She comes to her new role from John Wood Community College in Quincy, Illinois, where she serves as vice president of academic and student affairs.

Opposite-Sex Partners Are More Likely to Separate When Women Earn More

According to a large global study of nearly 545,000 couples from 29 high-income countries, relationships where women earn more than their male partners are 36 percent more likely to separate than male-breadwinner couples — particularly among couples with children.

Denise Eby Konan to Lead Academic Affairs at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Dr. Konan, a professor of economics and dean of the College of Social Sciences at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, has been selected to serve as the university's interim provost. A faculty member for more than 30 years, she previously served as interim chancellor.

Narrowing the Standard Piano’s Keyboard Size May Improve Women’s Performance

“The larger goal is not simply to build smaller keyboards,” notes Elizabeth Schumann, assistant teaching professor of music at Stanford University in California. “It is to create the evidence needed to advocate for better design and more equitable access to excellence.”

Eileen Glover Is the New Leader of River Valley Community College in New Hampshire

Dr. Glover has served as River Valley's chair of allied health programs for the past five years, overseeing the licensed practical nursing, respiratory therapy, radiological technology, and medical laboratory technician programs.

Recent Books of Interest to Women Scholars

Women in Academia Report regularly publishes a list of new books that may be of interest to our readers. Here are the latest selections.

Online Articles of Interest to WIA*Report* Readers

Each week, Women in Academia Report will provide links to online articles that may be of interest to our readers. Here are this week’s selections.

Brown University President Christina Paxson to Retire in 2027

“As we navigate a transformative era for higher education in America, Brown’s model — open, collaborative, curiosity-driven and student-centered — is more essential than ever. It is the right time for a new Brown president who will have the distinct privilege and pleasure of leading a university that is exceptionally well positioned for impact in the years ahead,” said Dr. Paxon.

New Roles for a Trio of Women Administrators at George Mason University in Virginia

The three women taking on new administrative duties at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, are Rose Pascarell, Sharnnia Artis, and Whitney Owen.

In Memoriam: Maralyn Orbison Gillespie, 1928-2026

Gillespie graduated from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania in 1949. After several years working for Curtis Publications, she returned to her alma mater, where she would serve in various alumni relations roles for nearly 40 years.

Bryn Mawr College Launches Updated Master of Social Work Degree

Bryn Mawr College has renamed its master of social services degree to a master of social work degree. The name change aims to better align the degree with standard terminology used in the social work profession.

Three Women Named Distinguished Professors at the University of New Mexico

The three women named Distinguished Professors at the University of New Mexico are Melanie Moses in computer science and biology, Michelle Ozbun in molecular genetics and microbiology, and Tassy Parker in family and community medicine.

In Memoriam: Nell Lane Bradford, 1922-2026

Dr. Bradford taught music at Alabama A&M University for 40 years. She also served as director of the the university's choir.