Although women enter into the fields of science and medicine in approximately the same numbers as men, they are much less represented at the leadership level. One reason for this disparity is the challenge of managing the dual demands of work and home while raising a family.
To provide extra support during this challenging time, the Women in Academic Medicine Committee at Massachusetts General Hospital established the Claflin Distinguished Scholar Awards in 1993. The awards were named after the late Jane Claflin, a longtime volunteer at the hospital and the chair of the committee at the time.
Each recipient is provided with $50K per year for two years that they can use to help sustain their clinical and research careers. Since 1993, over 100 women have received Claflin awards, many of whom have gone on to become leaders at the hospital and in their fields.
In 2023, Mass General announced eight new Claflin Distinguished Scholars. We caught up with many of them and asked what the award and the financial support mean to them.
Kate Bentley, PhD | Psychiatry
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
“I am thrilled to receive the Claflin Award, which has already been instrumental to my continued productivity as a clinical researcher. This additional funding comes at a pivotal time in my career, during which I am striving to balance both a transition to being an independent investigator and being a mom. It is also an honor to be a part of the broader Claflin community and follow the past extremely impressive recipients.”
Rachel Buckley, PhD | Neurology
Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School
“Being a woman in STEM means so much to me given how valuable our voices are in the scientific community. Having the Claflin Award to support my research as I make the challenging transition from junior to mid-career while juggling life with a young family is invaluable. Further, the recognition of being named a Distinguished Scholar goes a long way to reminding me of what I’m here to do — to transform the lives of our patients!”
Lauren Fiechtner, MD, MPH | General Academic Pediatrics
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
“This past year I’ve been to many national talks, discussing solutions for the inequities experienced between men and women physicians. In every talk the Claflin Award is brought up as an example of a way to move the needle — clearly Jane Claflin was ahead of her time! I feel so honored to be part of such a group of incredible women scientists. Having this award has helped me to have the staff to continue innovative science while balancing being an engaged mother for my three- and six-year-old.”
Lindsay Fourman, MD | Medicine/Metabolism Unit
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Wenjie Ma, MBBS, ScD | Medicine/Epidemiology
Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School
“I would like to express my deepest appreciation for the Claflin Award, as it presents an invaluable opportunity for me to establish and nurture my own research team, while also facilitating my transition into an independent career. This institutional support serves as an immense aid for junior researchers like myself, as we strive to strike a balance between our family commitments and the pursuit of groundbreaking research, enabling us to truly flourish.”
Alicia Martin, PhD | Medicine/Genetics
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
“Working with world-renowned researchers and physicians at Mass General is incredibly rewarding, but also challenging to balance with family life and particularly the needs of my baby. The institutional support from the Claflin Award is one of the most meaningful awards I have received because it embraces the value and duality of being deeply dedicated to both my family and career. This award will support research on generalizing genetic technologies across ancestrally diverse populations.”
Shibani Mukerji, MD, PhD | Neurology
Associate Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School
“Being recognized with the Claflin Award was more than an honor — it was a vital source of support at a pivotal moment in my career as I transitioned into research independence. This award empowered me to advance my translational research in infectious disease neurology, expanding my lab and affording me the energy and time to balance the demands of motherhood, elder parent care and work with genuine purpose and passion.”
Giselle Perez, PhD | Pychiatry
Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Dept. of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
“As a Latina and first generation academic, I feel honored and privileged to be a part of such an esteemed group of women in science. The Claflin Award means many things to me, and it comes at a critical time in my career. It affords me the opportunity to focus my efforts on designing systems that support our most vulnerable patients.”
This story first appeared in Bench Press, which features news and discoveries from the Mass General Research Institute.
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