Prestigious Award Aims to Tackle Barriers Women Face in Education
Farzana Ali, a PhD candidate in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Stony Brook University, has been awarded an American Association of University Women (AAUW) 2022-23 American Fellowship.
“It feels great to have my work recognized by an organization like the AAUW. The best feeling came from seeing my friends and family celebrate this accomplishment. Even more exciting is being accepted into the AAUW family, which relentlessly works toward the professional development of women like me,” said Ali. “This fellowship helps me put a spotlight on my work on using data from wearable sensors like Apple Watch or Fitbit to personalize treatment for mental health care. With rising popularity of wearable devices, this is the prime time for leveraging such technology to improve the way we provide mental health care to those in need, by bringing the care to them in an affordable and convenient manner.”
Ali plans to join academic medicine to continue her efforts in personalized healthcare and teaching the next generation of clinicians the value of innovation and service. “Thanks to this fellowship from AAUW, I’m getting a head start on my journey toward accomplishing my academic goals and career aspirations,” she added.
Ali’s research focuses on the application of machine-learning techniques for the prediction of antidepressant treatment response. She specializes in designing predictive algorithms utilizing data from multimodal neuroimaging and wearable sensors. She completed her MD degree at the University at Buffalo and continues to work on research and development of wellness programs to combat physician burnout. Ali is a fellow at the Scholars in BioMedical Sciences (SBMS) program, which provides training in translational medicine, and the Lumen Circles program sponsored by the SUNY Center for Professional Development, which has strengthened her expertise as a student-focused programming instructor. She aims to apply her leadership skills as a female leader in academic radiology and an entrepreneur in healthcare technology.
AAUW is one of the world’s leading supporters of graduate women’s education. During the past 134 years, it has provided more than $135 million in fellowships, grants and awards to 13,000 women from 150 countries. AAUW is one of the nation’s largest educational funders for women of color. For the 2022-23 academic year, AAUW is awarding an unprecedented $6 million through seven fellowships and grants programs to more than 320 scholars, research projects and programs promoting education and equity for women and girls.
“We are thrilled to be able to increase our support to so many deserving women,” said AAUW CEO Gloria Blackwell. “Our fellows and grantees have changed the face of leadership nationally and globally for over a century, and we know that this year’s awardees will continue to make significant contributions to their fields and society.”
About AAUW Fellowships
American Fellowships, AAUW’s largest funding program, began in 1888, making them one of the world’s oldest and most competitive fellowship programs exclusively for women. These fellowships support scholars who are completing doctoral dissertations, conducting postdoctoral research or finishing research for publication.
Applications for AAUW’s fellowship and grants open August 1 each year. Deadlines vary by program. To find out more about this year’s exceptional class of awardees, visit the online directory.
Photo by Sandra Kicman
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