Stony Brook Women Faculty: Inspiring the Next Generation

They are world-renowned scientists, groundbreaking researchers and beloved professors. They are also trusted advisors, caring mentors, loving mothers and good listeners.

Women faculty at Stony Brook University have shown remarkable resilience this year, cultivating rigorous classroom environments and involved research projects while balancing the challenges of working from home during unprecedented circumstances. They have been an inspiration to their students and to colleagues as well, and during Women’s History Month, we recognize those women who have been role models to countless people across the university, and indeed, the world.

“At Stony Brook, diversity is a part of our fabric and we have always embraced a variety of backgrounds, ideas and perspectives,” said Interim Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos. “We are incredibly proud of the distinguished women on our faculty, who inspire our students and contribute to our highly diverse campus community. I am honored to work with faculty of this caliber, and learn from these highly accomplished women every day.”

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of having a faculty in which students can see models of success for themselves, and with whom they can connect intellectually and personally. – President Maurie McInnis

“I cannot emphasize enough the importance of having a faculty in which students can see models of success for themselves, and with whom they can connect intellectually and personally,” said Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis. “I myself wish I’d had even more women role models in my career, and am so grateful for those who helped me develop the confidence and curiosity that allowed me to pursue my goals.”

President McInnis recalled one of her earliest role models, her high school biology teacher, Sheila Jacobstein, who “encouraged me to take on leadership positions, challenge myself, and believe in my ambitions.”

“I remain inspired by her talent as an educator and the enormous joy she derived from helping students find the best in themselves,” McInnis added. “In Stony Brook University, I see a reflection of both what profoundly impacted me as a student, and the kind of educational institution I believe can change the world.”

What follows is a representative but by no means complete selection of faculty from our colleges and schools, chosen by the deans, that includes testimonials from current and former students, mentees and colleagues that illustrate how the faculty have impacted their lives and the university itself.

Anissa Abi-Dargham | Aruna Balasubramanian | Melissa Bessaha | Ana Carolina Botta |
Carol Carter | Karen Chen-Wiegart | Jackie Collier | Christine DeLorenzo | Brooke Ellison |
Stacey Finkelstein | Soosan Ghazizadeh | Nancy Hiemstra | Danling Jiang |
Kathryn Koshansky | Pei Fen Kuan | Nicole Leavey | Ruobing Li | Sara Lipton |
Arianna Maffei | Sana Malik | Anne McElroy | Maria Milazzo | Sharon Nachman |
Aurora Pryor | Katy Siegel | Rewa Thompson