Center Events
Current Events
Check back in for event updates!
CWIMS Gender Equity Journal Club
Our journal club includes a 10 minute presentation of an article on the topic of gender equity in medicine followed by a discussion around the themes of the article. After signing up, you will receive a calendar invite to hold the times. Meetings will be held every other month on Monday afternoons from 4-5pm over zoom.
2025 Dates:
February 3, 4:00-5:00pm,
April 7, 4:00-5:00pm
June 2, 4:00-5:00pm
August 4, 4:00-5:00pm
October 6, 4:00-5:00pm
December 1, 4:00-5:00pm
Sign up HERE to receive a calendar invite and zoom link
Past Events
CWIMS, in collaboration with the Center for the Art of Medicine, is hosting our first ever Story Slam! Join us for an exciting evening of in-person storytelling and fellowship with our medical school community at this event! Our theme for the evening is "Sharing Our Stories: Perspectives on Women in Medicine & Science". Men and gender-diverse individuals are very welcome to attend and encouraged to share their stories as well.
Register here to indicate your attendance. Please RSVP by May 12th, 2024. Want to share your story at the event? Submit your story here by Monday April 29th.
Date: Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Time: 6pm-8pm
Place: Surly Brewing, Scheid Hall, 520 Malcolm St SE, Minneapolis MN 55414
CWIMS is pleased to announce our Mid-Career Summit. This half day event is intended to review and identify solutions to the unique challenges faced by women in academic medicine and science at mid-career. Target audience is Associate Professor or early Professor level faculty within the medical school from basic science or clinical departments from all academic tracks. Faculty of all genders are welcome and encouraged to attend and contribute.
Monday, June 17, 2024
ABC Conference Room, Campus Club
Coffman Memorial Union 12-5pm
Annual Fall Retreats
2023
2023 Fall Retreat
Date: Thursday, September 28, 2023
Time: 12:00pm-5:00pm
Location: Mayo Auditorium (Mayo 4-200)
Topic: Building and Sustaining Science Teams Purposefully
Note: This will be an in-person presentation

Our keynote presentation, brought by L. Michelle Bennett, PhD., will be focused on the need to design teams with intent and purpose. We will hear about the power of groups that come together to solve complex problems and how the team can excel by working together based off of the team dynamics. Breakout sessions may include topics such as: Developing Trust & Psychological Safety in Science Teams, Shared Team Vision for Research & Relationships, Mindset Matters: Steps You Can Take to Create a Shared Team Mindset, Collaboration Agreement: Developing Expectations with the Team, and Successfully Managing Conflict: Intervene Early, Directly, and Compassionately.
Agenda:
12:00-12:20 Arrival and networking
12:20-12:30 CWIMS introduction
12:30-2:00 Keynote speech, followed by questions and discussion
2:00-2:15 Break
2:15-2:45 First breakout session
2:45-3:00 Break
3:00-3:30 Second breakout session
3:30-4:00 Closing and networking
2022
2022
2022 CWIMS ANNUAL FALL RETREAT
Summary
Attendees joined us for an interactive retreat and learned how to develop effective relationships for their career and growth. We welcomed keynote presenter Tanya Menon, PhD and had multiple empowerment breakout sessions focused on creating community and fostering career growth opportunities.
This event was open to people of all genders who are University of Minnesota faculty, staff, students, and/or community members.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER

TANYA MENON, PHD
Professor of Management and Human Resources
Fisher College of Business
Ohio State University
Tanya Menon, PhD is a Professor at the Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business. She is an Associate Editor at the Management Science journal, an award-winning teacher, and she has done keynotes, consulting, and training for organizations all over the world. Her book with Dr. Leigh Thompson is Stop Spending, Start Managing: Strategies to Transform Wasteful Habits (2016, Harvard Business Review Press). Her TED talk has reached over 2.3 million views and was named as one of the top 7 TED talks of 2018 (so far) by entrepreneur.com, and one the most popular TED talks of 2018.
AGENDA
12:00pm - 12:30pm Session Introduction and Welcome Address
12:30pm - 2:00pm Keynote Presentation: Building and Leveraging Relationships to Advance Your Career and Wellbeing by Tanya Menon, PhD
Description:
You will learn how to develop your relationships more effectively, both to build your career opportunities and your support network. We'll consider the challenges people experience as they reach out and acquire some insights about your personal approach.
Check out Tanya's TED talk as an introduction to the topics you'll learn about in the session: The secret to great opportunities? The person you haven't met yet.
2:00pm - 2:05pm Break
2:05pm - 3:30pm Empowerment Breakout Sessions
A series of breakout sessions meant to build further over key topics presented during the keynote.
3:30pm - 4:00pm Closing Remarks
2021
2021 Fall Retreat
Summary
An afternoon of opportunities for authenticity, connection, empowerment and resource sharing.
This event was open to people of all gender identities who are University of Minnesota faculty, staff, students and/or community members.
Agenda
Director, Center for Women in Medicine and Science (CWIMS)
- "Continuing the Conversation: “You are actually the expert in the career and life that works for you” (Quote by Dr. Kemi Doll)" facilitated by Dr. Kaz Nelson
- "Early Pathways to Career Success: Creating Space for Connecting as Early Stage Faculty" facilitated by Dr. Sade Spencer
- "From Invisible to Invincible: Meeting the Needs of Mid-Career Women in Academic Medicine", a panel discussion facilitated by Drs. Rahel Ghebre and Heather Buum
- "Individual-Level-Care and Coping Strategies" facilitated by Dr. Lidia Zylowska
Note: We encouraged participants to be prepared to share their video and be ready to engage in discussion and connection.
2020
2020 Fall Retreat
Date: September 24, 2020
Time: 1-3:30pm CST
Location: Remote
Summary
A high-energy, interactive, remote retreat, packed with networking opportunities and training to help you take smart risks consistent with your values. You will walk away with an expanded network, a risk-taking playbook, and tools to help you narrow the divide between where you are and where you want to be.
This event is open to people of all genders who are University of Minnesota faculty, staff, students and/or community members.
Agenda
1:15pm - 1:25pm Welcome Address
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Could Engagement in Social Media Advance Your Academic and Advocacy Mission?
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Finding and Fortifying Collaborations
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Identifying New Mentors
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Saying “No” as a Strategy for Saying "Yes" to What Counts
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Networking for Social Justice: Leveraging Research and Clinical Practice/Partnerships
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Transforming into an Anti-racist and Multicultural Organization
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Coping with COVID-19 for Faculty
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Coping with COVID-19 for Staff
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Knowledge is Power: Promotion and Tenure Process
2019
2019 Fall Retreat
Agenda at a Glance
2018
2018 Fall Retreat
Agenda at a Glance
Annual Spring Workshop
2023
Date: May 19, 2023
Time: 12:00-3:00pm CDT
Location: Remote
Summary
Are you ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? Do you want to develop a clear and powerful leadership philosophy that will guide you to success? Join the CWIMS Spring Workshop for an inspiring presentation: “On Becoming a Chair: How a Leadership Philosophy Carried Me Across the Finish Line.”
Led by Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, MD, Professor and Distinguished Chair of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, this presentation will delve into her own personal journey and struggles and guide you through the process of crafting your own personal leadership philosophy. You will learn practical tools and strategies to help define your core values, set clear goals, and establish a strong vision for your leadership journey. This presentation is designed for women in medicine and their allies (men are welcome) who want to enhance their leadership skills and ultimately advance their careers.
Keynote Speaker:
Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez MD
Professor and Distinguished Chair of Rehabilitation Medicine
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
TOPIC: On Becoming a Chair: How a Leadership Philosophy Carried Me Across the Finish Line
2022
Date: May 5, 2022
Time: 9:00-12:00pm CDT
Location: Remote
Summary
This was an interactive and energizing workshop on the topic of leadership including both a keynote speaker and multiple breakout sessions.
See the inspiring graphic created by live sketch artist Rebecca Moss during the keynote.
Check out the CWIMS Leadership Resource Hub for more.
Keynote Speaker:
RENEE CRICHLOW MD, FAAFP
Chief Medical Officer, Codman Square Health Center
Vice-Chair of Health Equity,
Boston University Medical School, Dept. of Family Medicine
Renee Crichlow, MD, FAAFP, is the Chief Medical Officer, CMO, of Codman Square Health Center in Boston, the Vice-chair of Health Equity at the Boston University Department of Family Medicine, has practiced full-spectrum Family Medicine with Obstetrics for more than 20 years, and serves as the Medical Editor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the journal, American Family Physician. President-Elect for the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine 2022.
Before this, Dr. Crichlow was at the University of Minnesota as the director of advocacy and policy in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and the inaugural holder of the Mac Baird Endowed Chair for Family Medicine Advocacy and Policy and President of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians.
Dr. Crichlow’s Fellowships include a Fellowship in Health Policy through the Dept. of Health and Human Services. She was the National Rural Health Association nominee for the Dept. of Health and Human Services Primary Care Health Policy Fellowship. She then received a second Faculty Development Fellowship from the University of Minnesota in 2010. She has served in numerous leadership positions at local, state, national, and international levels, including health policy development, academic endeavors, and community outreach.
She has lived and practiced in small-town, suburbs, and big cities. In her position on Faculty for UW FM Montana Family Medicine Residency, she lived in a town of 3000 and had practice areas in Billings, MT, and surrounding smaller sites. Dr. Crichlow joined the University of Minnesota Department of Family and Community Medicine in 2009. Dr. Crichlow is the CEO and co-founder of a youth health career mentorship program called The Ladder, engaging learners and physicians at every level. President of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians 2019-2020. This year she has become the President-Elect of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.
LEADERSHIP BREAKOUT SESSIONS
TOPIC: EARLY-CAREER WOMEN FACULTY PANEL
TOPIC: MID-CAREER WOMEN FACULTY PANEL
TOPIC: LATE-CAREER WOMEN FACULTY PANEL
In keeping with this year’s focus on leadership, members of this panel of senior professors and leaders answered questions, offer advice, direction, and unique perspectives as they shared their own experiences carving paths both up the promotion ladder and to leadership in academic medicine.
Moderators:
Ameeta Kelekar, PhD
Anne Joseph, MD, MPH
Panelists:
Deborah Powell, MD
Linda McLoon, PhD
Jean Regal, PhD
Mary Porter, PhD
TOPIC: EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION
Moderator:
Sarah Ward, MS
2021
Date: Thursday, May 13th
Time: 2-4:30pm CST
Location: Remote
Keynote: Sherlonda Sharp, MS
With 20 years working in higher education, Sherlonda Sharp is "a creative, pragmatic, equity-minded, innovative speaker and facilitator who speaks truth to power and offers creative solutions to organizational and individual challenges".
Presentation Title: Minnesota Not So Nice: Navigating Challenging Personalities
Presentation Description: You've worked hard to get where you are. You've come in early, stayed late, and worked through more lunches than you care to remember. But that's not the hard part; not flipping over the table when that special someone makes yet another snide comment at your expense is the HARDEST of parts.
Here's the bad news: like mosquitoes, bad drivers, and poorly-maintained public bathrooms, difficult people are a reality of life. The badder news: most conventional suggestions DO NOT WORK. During this interactive session, Sherlonda Sharp will share the valuable lessons she learned after a three-year journey through difficult people purgatory and provide attendees with strategies/resources to navigate the challenging personalities in their own lives.
Agenda
2-2:05pm Welcome Address by Dr. Berge, Director of CWIMS
2:05-2:35pm Recognizing and Responding to Microaggression
Presentation by Dia Yang, M.S., Office of DEI, Medical School
2:35-4:30pm Minnesota Not So Nice: Navigating Challenging Personalities
Keynote Presentation by Sherlonda Sharp, MS
An interactive and energized workshop session which provide attendees with strategies/resources to navigate the challenging personalities in their own lives.
*All times are CST
2020
Canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
2019
DATE: May 30, 2019
ATTENDANCE: 76 people in-person, 44 people remote
Complete workshop agenda can be located here.
Summary: The day started out with energetic conversations during the networking lunch where attendees participated in focused discussions surrounding topics such as peer mentoring, promotion and tenure, finding balance, leadership, etc. The day continued with CWIMS Leadership Team updates on initiative progress, open-forum Q&A, and Speaking with Impact seminar by Laura Purcell Verdun, M.A., CCC/SLP.
Workshop slides are available for viewing here.