Thursday 1 October 2015 11:56am
Dr Roslyn Kemp
Dr Roslyn Kemp from the University of Otago has been named this year's winner of the prestigious Association for Women in the Sciences (AWIS) Miriam Dell Award, for her work inspiring female immunologists across Australasia.
Dr Kemp, a senior lecturer in the University's Department of Microbiology and Immunology, was recognised with the Award for her work with students and for furthering the goals of the Women's Initiative of the Australasian Society for Immunology.
A major component of the Initiative is to provide mentorship opportunities for female immunologists at all stages of their career, coordinated and managed by Roslyn. Since its introduction in December 2013, more than 85 mentors have been added to the Women's Initiative programme, and more than 25 mentoring relationships have been established.
Currently, some 14 staff and senior students in immunology at Otago have involved themselves in the mentoring programme.
“Roslyn has an outstanding ability to inspire female students at graduate and postgraduate level,” says University of Otago immunologist Dr Joanna Kirman, who nominated her for the Award.
“As an undergraduate teacher she is exceptional, and this has contributed to a dramatic increase in the number of female students in Immunology in recent years. She has an inclusive and unselfish approach to mentoring, with a special emphasis on supporting young female Maori students into postgraduate study. Roslyn is a consistently strong and enthusiastic mentor for women in science, and I believe she has made a significant, tangible difference to many careers.”
Dr Kemp says she is proud and honoured to have been given the award.
“It's really important for women scientists to have access to peer support and encouragement that will help them progress in their careers, particularly since they are fewer in number,” she says.
She adds that the mentoring model used by the Immunology Society could be used by other professional societies to help women across the scientific disciplines.
Dr Alec Mackay, a scientist at AgResearch in Palmerston North, has also been Highly Commended by the Judges of the Award, for his mentoring of female scientists at all stages of their careers.
The Judging Panel received fourteen nominations for the Award including scientists at universities and Crown Research Institutes from across New Zealand.
“The Judging Panel were very impressed with the calibre of nominations and it is wonderful to see so many scientists inspiring young females into the field,” says Emma Timewell, National Convenor of AWIS.
“Roslyn and Alec demonstrated mentorship that went beyond that expected in their roles as managers and supervisors of students, finding additional ways to support females with an interest in science. We're very pleased to be able to recognise both of them for their inspiration and support of women in science.”
The Miriam Dell Award for Excellence in Science Mentoring was introduced in 2013 and is awarded on a biennial basis to someone who demonstrates outstanding mentoring efforts to retain females in science, mathematics or technology. Nominees can be from any part of the science system – including teachers at primary or secondary schools, lecturers or supervisors in tertiary education, or from commercial science-based organisations. They may have mentored, formally or informally, females at any stage in their career – from school age to the science workforce.
The Award is named for Dame Miriam Dell, Patron of AWIS, botanist, secondary school teacher and advocate for women's advancement. The first recipient of the Award, in 2013, was Dr Judith O'Brien of the University of Auckland.
For more information, contact:
Emma Timewell
National Convenor AWIS
Email: etimewell@yahoo.com
Dr Roslyn Kemp
Department of Microbiology & Immunology
University of Otago
Ph: 64 3 479 7708
Email: roslyn.kemp@otago.ac.nz
Dr Alec Mackay, c/o Alex Fear, Senior Communications Adviser, AgResearch
Ph: 64 7 834 6636 or 021 773 674
Email: alex.fear@agresearch.co.nz
About AWIS
The Association for Women in the Sciences founded in 1985, has members throughout New Zealand. The Association aims to encourage women to use and develop their scientific abilities and achieve their full potential through networking and providing visibility and support for girls and women with an interest in science.
A list of Otago experts available for media comment is available elsewhere on this website.
Electronic addresses (including email accounts, instant messaging services, or telephone accounts) published on this page are for the sole purpose of contact with the individuals concerned, in their capacity as officers, employees or students of the University of Otago, or their respective organisation. Publication of any such electronic address is not to be taken as consent to receive unsolicited commercial electronic messages by the address holder.