Contacts: Maggie Werner-Washburne, (505) 277-9338 Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821

February 4, 2003 UNM BIOLOGIST TO BE HONORED BY AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE University of New Mexico Biology Professor Maggie Werner-Washburne has been selected by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) as one of nine scientists to participate in a project to showcase the achievements of distinguished U.S. Hispanic women (Latina) scientists to wide audiences of scientists, educators, students and policymakers in Latin America. Werner-Washburne will be one of three scientists honored at the annual meeting of the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science, in Recife, Brazil, July 2003. The six other scientists selected were previously honored at annual meetings held in Costa Rica and Panama last year. The project, AAAS Lecture Series on Women in Science and Engineering, selected nine U.S., Hispanic women scientists with compelling personnel stories about overcoming the challenges of pursuing scientific careers who are interested in sharing their experiences with Latin American colleagues. Applicants are selected on the basis of their outstanding careers working in scientific fields traditionally dominated by male scientists. These fields include biological and physical sciences, mathematics and engineering. The selected scientists and engineers will lecture about their fields of work, their personal experiences as women scientists, opportunities and obstacles in career advancement, strategies used to prevail over such challenges and the role of women in science and technology. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Werner-Washburne has been at UNM for 14 years, six years as an assistant professor, an associate professor for eight years and was named a full professor last year. She received her B.A. in English at Stanford (1971), an M.S. from the University of Hawaii (1979) and her Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Wisconsin in 1984. She has received numerous awards including: AAAS Latina Scholar (2002); Special Service Award, National Science Foundation (1999); Outstanding program officer, BIO/NSF (1999); UNM Regents’ Lecturer (1997-2000); UNM Alumni Faculty Award for outstanding teaching and service to students (1995); and Presidential Young Investigator Award, NSF (1990-1996). # # #

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