Meet the Women in Science and Engineering Staff

 

Chris Brus - Director of WISE

319-335-3511, Email Chris

Chris was born in Nebraska and is a true Midwesterner, having lived in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa; and yes, she LOVES snow! As the second director of WISE, Chris took the reins in October of 1998 and hasn't looked back. Having worked with underrepresented populations in K-12 and Higher Ed for the last twenty years, most notably women in STEM, student of color, and scientifically gifted rural youth, she is a passionate educator and advocate for equity.

Chris has an undergraduate degree in Liberal Studies (music and creative writing), a Master's degree in Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health along with certification and registration as a Cytotechnologist through the American Society of Clinical Pathologists. Among other things, Chris has worked in pathology labs, coordinated large federally-funded research grants, developed summer outreach institutes for K-12 students and educators, and served as the Director of Community Outreach and Education for the federally-funded Environmental Health Sciences Research Center, situated on the UI's Oakdale Campus.

Chris sees her primary responsibilities (and those of WISE) as:

1. To implement timely and targeted programming for women in STEM to increase their retention from K-12, through college, and into the workforce.
2. To educate parents, instructors, and administrators about barriers that still diminish women's genuine participation in STEM disciplines, many of which are built into the system (systemic) and not perpetrated by individuals.
3. To act as a catalyst, bringing often overlooked issues to the administrative 'table' so they can be addressed in a visible and transparent way with all stakeholders at the 'table'.
4. To provide individual advocacy for any member of the UI stem population as requested.

Please feel free to contact Chris for further information about WISE; to offer comments about how WISE is doing; to provide suggestions about what we should do next; or just to talk.

Angel - Coordinator, Grad/Post-Doc Professional Workshops

Yi-Ting “Angel” Cheng joined the WISE staff in August 2010 as the Graduate Assistant for Grad/Post-Doc Programs. Angel is pursuing a PhD degree at the University of Iowa. Her Ph.D. program is Counseling Psychology and her research interests involve multiculturalism, international student population, and social class.

Angel’s hometown is Taipei, Taiwan. She completed her baccalaureate degree in Psychology/Communication Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.  Prior to coming to Iowa, Angel worked with Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, serving children, the elderly, and the disabled with abuse or neglect history.

Outside of school and work, Angel volunteers at Johnson County Crisis Center and the Shelter House in Iowa City. She also enjoys taking road trips and exploring different regions of the U.S. Other personal interests include yoga, outdoor activities, movies, photography, and good food.

Melanie - Co-Mentoring/Ambassadors Program Coordinator

My name is Melanie Reichwald and I joined the WISE staff in the summer of 2011 as the Co-Mentoring/Ambassadors Program Coordinator. I am pursuing my Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in English Education, and hope to teach high school English in the future. I received my undergraduate degree in Literature and Journalism from SUNY Purchase College in 2006, and MA in English from the University of Iowa in 2010.

In my spare time, I volunteer with an English language program in West Liberty and tutor adults working toward their GEDs. I also enjoy reading, watching TV, listening to music, working out, and spending time with friends. I am elated to join the incredible WISE team and to meet the amazing women the programs celebrate! Please contact me (melanie-reichwald@uiowa.edu) whenever you have a question or concern about the Mentoring or Ambassadors programs-- I'm happy to help in whatever way I can!

Kristin - Coordinator, Living-Learning Community/Tutoring Programs

My name is Kristin Wurster and I’m the coordinator for the WISE Living-Learning Community.  You'll also see me this fall in your First Year Seminar, Research 101: Exploring STEM Research. 

I'm pursuing a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology after working for several years in the Academic Advising Center. I have a bachelor's degree in English and a master's in Student Development in Postsecondary Education…which basically means that I love universities and hanging out with college students – pretty sweet deal, if you ask me!

I look forward to meeting all of you and helping you settle in to The University of Iowa.  We’re going to have a great year!

Sarah - Peer Mentoring Assistant and  Ambassadors Student   Liaison

Hi! My name is Sarah Pettijohn and I joined the WISE team in the summer of 2010 as the Peer Mentoring Assistant and Ambassadors Student Liaison.  I have been a student at the UI for over 2 years in the Industrial Engineering Program, so I’ve been able to see first-hand all of the benefits of being a part of the WISE family, both as a student and staff member!

I originally grew up in Santa Barbara, CA and in the summer of 2008, I was off to Iowa and worked for a year before beginning at the University of Iowa.  In my spare time, I enjoy volunteering at my church in Kalona, IA, skiing in the Colorado Rockies, and trying new baking recipes!  You can reach me throughout the summer and during the school year at wise@uiowa.edu.  Please don’t hesitate to contact me with ANY questions.  As an undergraduate in the College of Engineering, I am thrilled to be a part of WISE and create opportunities with women in the sciences at the UI!

WISE Organizational Chart (updated September 2010)