A reception Wednesday, May 10, will celebrate the recipients of the 2023 Mary Lou Dietz Equity Leadership Award: Tricia Carmichael, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and nursing professor emeritus Barbara Thomas.

The award is bestowed by the Windsor University Faculty Association’s Status of Women, Diversity and Equity Action Committee to honour individuals who demonstrate leadership through their contributions to creating an equity culture on campus. It award is named after Mary Lou Dietz, a late UWindsor faculty member and head of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology, in recognition of her contributions to the advancement of women in Canadian universities and colleges.

Dr. Carmichael is recognized as a leader within her male-dominated field of materials chemistry and an inspiring role model for women in STEM. She spearheaded an effort in the Faculty of Science to secure funding and help develop an action plan using a research-based approach to identifying barriers to equity, diversity, and inclusion. She has also worked to improve the visibility of the LGBTQ2S+ community and seeking support for mental health and work-life balance in STEM.

Dr. Thomas stood out as a trailblazer for women’s equity and health related issues who began her advocacy work in the 1970s. She was the only female in the Faculty of Science when she joined the Faculty of Nursing in 1969, and was a founding member of the Faculty Association Status of Women Committee. During her tenure, Thomas made many significant contributions to equity for faculty women, including being part of a study on salary discrepancies between men and women that led to the creation of an Anomalies Fund.

Learn more about the achievements of both honourees on the WUFA website.

The May 10 celebration will open at 4 p.m. in Assumption University’s Freed-Orman Centre. To join, RSVP by email to wufa@uwindsor.ca by May 5.