diversity equity and inclusion
Karen Uhlenbeck’s pioneering work marries math with physics. Her work in the field of mathematical physics has earned her numerous honors and awards, including the 1988 Noether Lecture award, the National Medal of Science in 2001, and the 2007 Steele Prize for a Seminal Contribution to Mathematical Research from the American Mathematical Society. A MacArthur fellow, she is also the first woman to win the Abel Prize in its 17-year history.
Jean Reising works with Fermilab computing and helps people with content management systems, including websites and digital signage. She is active in Fermilab’s Spectrum Group, which builds awareness and provides resources for the LGBTQ+ community. Reising also has a degree in culinary arts. When she’s not working, she can be found cooking or reading about cooking.
From The Adler ‘Scope, May 15, 2019: Fermilab scientist Jessica Esquivel is one of about 150 Black women in history to obtain her Ph.D. in physics. She talks with Adler Planetarium about the obstacles she faced in being a minority in physics, neutrinos and science outreach.
Physics professor Jason Nordhaus is working to reduce barriers to STEM for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, who face numerous barriers when trying to study technical STEM fields like physics. Physicists like Nordhaus are trying to change all that with specialized programs, classes and interpreter training, all aimed at reducing barriers in STEM.