EUGENE, Ore. -- (Oct. 23, 2009) – Careers often take unexpected paths and that is as true for women in science as it is for any other profession.
University of Oregon Professor Janis Weeks will share her own professional story that went from a focus on teaching and research with students in the field of neuroscience to working in rural health care facilities in Zimbabwe. The free lecture will start with a reception at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, with the talk starting at 6 p.m. It will take place at the White Stag Block, 70 NW Couch St., Portland.
After spending time in a country with one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in Africa, Weeks will talk about how antiretroviral treatment and related services can benefit those in isolated and resource-poor settings.
"The goal of the 'Science Savvy' series has been to provide resources and support for women and girls who are in or interested in careers in science and technology. Janis' experiences show how one's professional career in science can, and should, grow and change," said Geri Richmond, the Richard M. and Patricia H. Noyes UO professor of chemistry and the co-founder and chair of COACh, an organization that develops and provides professional development programs across the country for women in technical fields.
Weeks joined the UO faculty in 1988, with a teaching and research focus on neutral circuits underlying behavior. Honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship, National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award, National Institutes of Health Research Career Development Award and a UO Biology Department teaching award for a new course entitled "Diseases of Africa." Weeks teaches neuroscience in Africa through the International Brain Research Organization and is a student and performer of Zimbabwean music through the Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center in Eugene.
This is the final lecture in the "Science Savvy Women and Girls" series. It is sponsored by the University of Oregon's Women in Technology and Science initiative. The lecture is open to the public.
To register, visit uoregon.edu/~wits/wits/events/ or call 541-346-0116.
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