WiSTEMM Mission

With diversity and intersectionality, this group seeks to advance women faculty and staff by transforming the University’s culture, and through recognition of scientific achievements to foster continued success of our faculty and staff, and the STEMM community.

Objectives critical to achievement of our mission include:

Faculty and students in scientific field• Ensuring women in STEMM fields are recognized for their impacts on scientific advancement by publicizing their contributions;
• Providing a unified voice, empowered by UMS-specific data, seeking to identify and eliminate barriers to success for women in STEMM fields across the University system;
• Organizing and promoting professional development events and opportunities that advance women faculty and staff, including networking sessions, seminars, and workshops that enhance the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women;
• Connecting women faculty at every rank with mentors to support professional advancement;
• Fostering awareness and providing training and support around the issues faced by women in STEMM across UMS to ensure an equitable trajectory to success;
• Changing the culture of UMS to promote equal employment and professional development opportunities and to support flexibility that facilitates meeting the challenges faced by women in STEMM;
• Promoting the importance of diversity, compassion, and personal fulfillment as significant factors that contribute to career success for women faculty and staff; and
• Providing outreach to the community to foster a love of science in girls of all ages across Maine.