Chapter 1 : The Socioecological approach to this book
This will include a description of the traditional socioecological model. We will then
describe how it applies in this book, with you at the center, surrounded by close everyday
colleagues. The larger context of your work is then your institution, and your larger scientific
community.
Chapter 2 : You: You as a scientist
●Unique strengths of women scientists
· Your passion: Finding it, keeping it, growing it
● How you work: Knowing your style, balancing work demands, dealing with failure, how to
make it count twice
● Your process: How you develop and complete a research project, project management
time management
· Your identity: gender, race/ethnicity, background and considering intersectionality
Chapter 3 : Your team: Developing processes and systems
○ Mentoring/oversight team (people who oversee your work)
○ Research team (people who you oversee)
Setting expectations
Considering DEI on your team
○ Collaborators (people with you -- your peers)
○ Colleagues (your network)
○ Special considerations to add to your team
■ Writing groups
■ A coach
Chapter 4 : Your institution/academic environment: Understanding resources
○ Space: How to consider what you need now and later, and make the case for
what you need
○ Administrative support: How to optimize your support
○ Grant support: Strategies for staying funded
○ Library support: How to work with these valuable colleagues
Chapter 5 : Your professional societies
● What you bring to it: Considering your contributions now and in the future including
committee involvement and leadership roles
o Joining professional societies
o Attending scientific conferences
· How to navigate professional societies in an era of hybrid and remote work
● What it can do for you
Section 2: Milestones
Chapter 6 : You : Your Promotion
● Timeline
● Early steps to prepare for promotion
● The paperwork trail
o DEI issues and opportunities: the minority tax, documenting DEI work
● External criteria
● National and international reputation
Chapter 7: Your team : Expansion
● Expanding your work group
o You as a mentor
o You as a manager
● Developing collaborations across groups
Chapter 8 : Your Institution : Growing within
● Considering leadership positions locally
o Types of leadership positions
o Types of leadership
● How to know when you’ve outgrown your institution
Chapter 9 : Your professional societies
● New directions for your work: reviews, policy, editing, advocacy
● Fostering relationships at the national level
○ Work-life balance
Megan A Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH
Professor of Pediatrics
Vice Chair for Digital Health
Academic Division Chief: General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI, USA
Rachel Katzenellenbogen, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology and Immunology
Indiana University School of Medicine
Riley Hospital for Children
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
The second edition of this book builds on the success of the first edition, which had many unique features including an emphasis on success in context and how women can thrive in today's clinical research environment. In this new edition, Women Rock Science incorporates promoting inclusivity of gender diverse persons, working in the hybrid world since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the value of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), with lessons learned from other women scientists, throughout the book.
This bookprovides key strategies and skills around a central conceptual model as well as a sense of community with other women scientists. Clinical academic research is conducted in many forms, and Women Rock Science speaks to lab-based work, clinical work, health services/implementation science, quality improvement, medical education, health equity, and DEI-focused research throughout its chapters. The approaches and insights addressed are not narrowly focused on a discipline or a methodology of research. Rather, Women Rock Science addresses how to achieve excellence in research, across disciplines, within an academic institution.
Described as the "unwritten rules" of successfully navigating a clinical academic research career, Women Rock Science is a valuable resource that can be used in a variety of settings. It is beneficial for University classes, lab group meetings, and can be shared with one’s community of mentors, mentees and colleagues.