The Center periodically invites women scholars to present their work in a public forum.  These events provide the University community and the general public with an opportunity to learn more about the scope of scholarly research being conducted by women here in Memphis and across the country.

Past Forums:

Critical Climate:  Racial/Ethnic and Sexual Harassment in High School, Alayne J. Ormerod, Ph.D., Dept.  of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Research with high school students suggests that the effects of sexual harassment extend beyond those who are directly targeted to others in the environment (Ormerod, Collinsworth, & Perry, 2008).  A school climate that engenders tolerance for sexual harassment has been linked to poorer school quality of life and psychological well-being.  Less often studied, harassment based on race/ethnicity is also associated with poorer outcomes for students (Wessler & De Andrade, 2006).  The current study considers the relative effects of multiple forms of harassment — racial/ethnic and sexual — and a climate that tolerates both types of harassment for minority and white students. (October 2, 2008)

Current Issues in Reproductive Healthcare,  Elena Maslia Marks, Chair, Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Director, Health & Environmental Policy, City of Houston, TX.

In her role as director of health and environmental policy for for Mayor Bill White of Houston, Texas, she has transformed the public health care system, expanding community-based primary care clinics, and establishing a nonprofit corporation to coordinate health care services for low-income and uninsured people. In 2005, she coordinated the establishment of the Hurricane Katrina health clinic in Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center, where more than 10,000 evacuees were treated.

Psychosocial influences on adverse birth outcomes among pregnant adolescents, Lynda M. Sagrestano, Ph.D., Director,  Center for Research on Women, University of Memphis

Pregnant adolescents are at high risk for adverse birth outcomes, such as premature and low birth weight babies, which puts their children at higher risk for long term cognitive and developmental impairment or infant mortality.  This presentation will examine psychosocial factors that impact adverse birth outcomes among adolescents. Psychological factors, such as stress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem; social factors, such as social support from family and boyfriend; behavioral factors, such as nutrition, exercise, and substance use; and contextual factors, such as socioeconomic status and cultural heritage will be explored to better understand the challenges faced by expectant adolescents. Finally, data on the local impact of adolescent pregnancy and adverse outcomes will be used to set the stage for discussion of future directions for research and policy.

Women in Ancient Egyptian Religious Hierarchy, Suzanne Onstine, Ph.D., Egyptologist, Assistant Professor, Department of History, University of Memphis

The study of women in ancient cultures often focuses on personal adornment and childbearing. This limited range of topics tends to promote the view that women played a limited role in the so-called "public spheres" of politics and economics. And although from ancient Egypt there are very few obvious examples of women with administrative roles, there are numerous titles which attest to the participation of women in the religious hierarchy.  The activeness of women in ancient Egyptian   religion however, tells us not only about their piety, but speaks to their political and civic convictions as well.  State and religion were virtually the same in ancient Egypt, and the choices women made about which cults they served, and the patterns revealed in my research, demonstrate a link between religious vocations and the socio-political climate of the 2nd to 1st millennia BCE. 

Women in Math and the Sciences,  A presentation and roundtable discussion lead by Pamela Shaw, Ph.D. Mathematical Statistician, Biostatistics Research Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Gender and Racial Health Disparities in Heart Disease, Dr. Cheryl Travis, Professor of Psychology, UT Knoxville, with introduction by Kathy Kastan, L..C.S.W., M.A. Ed., President, WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease.