The WVU Council for Gender Equity is pleased to announce Shari Steinman as the 2021 recipient of the Mary Catherine Buswell Award. Through her work as an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, Steinman prioritizes the advancement of women scientists through intentional mentorship, research opportunities, exposure and role modeling.
The Mary Catherine Buswell Award was established in 1978 to recognize an individual who demonstrates excellence in their field as it relates to the advancement of university women, community and civic activities that serve and advance women, and/or significant pioneering work that improves the status of women in the WVU community.
Steinman strives to cultivate environments where women feel welcomed and valued, often by facilitating discussion regarding: how the success of women scientists is defined, how to improve the culture of academia for women, how to respond to discrimination and harassment in the workplace and how to make academia more inclusive for women of color.
According to Steinman’s award nomination, “She plays an important role in training the next generation of women scientists by strategically creating space in her laboratories for women students, regularly advising research-based capstone projects and honors theses, and mentoring undergraduate and graduate women scientists throughout their programs.” In addition, each of the women graduate students in Steinman’s laboratory have submitted manuscripts as first authors and present their work at national conventions.
She is involved in leadership roles throughout several professional organizations and uses those positions to advocate for greater inclusivity for women and other facets of diversity in her profession.
Additionally, Steinman has developed a program of research related to predicting and preventing perinatal mental health issues, an important contribution to an under-investigated area of scientific inquiry. This focus helps women academics/scientists beyond her department as they balance being new mothers with their careers. Her work also informs the field about the ongoing mental health stigma that women with anxiety and mood disorders often face.
Steinman is an exceptionally productive faculty member in the Department of Psychology at WVU, an emerging scientist in the field of clinical psychology and an outstanding mentor for graduate and undergraduate students.
As the recipient of the Mary Catherine Buswell Award, Steinman will receive a $1,000 award to be used for travel, supplies, salary supplement or other use commensurate with WVU policies.
For more information about the Buswell Award or the Council for Gender Equity, contact Meridith Balas, co-chair of the Awards and Membership Committee at Meridith.Balas@mail.wvu.edu.