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 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.

 

Tess - Coordinator, Grad/Post-Doc Professional Workshops

Tess Barker joined the WISE staff in August 2006 as the Graduate Assistant for Grad/Post-Doc Programs. Tess is pursuing joint JD and PhD degrees at the University of Iowa. Her Ph.D. program is Educational Policy and Leadership Studies with a focus on higher education administration and her research interests involve the ways colleges and universities respond changing regulations and legal requirements; intellectual property rights in higher education; and students’ rights and responsibilities on campuses.

Tess completed a Masters of Arts in Counseling and College Student Personnel at the University of Maryland, College Park, where her research focused on the ways undergraduate students are affected by study abroad experiences.  Tess worked at two public universities in a variety of student advisor roles for nine years and immediately prior to Iowa, worked for a higher education non-profit in Washington, DC where she planned professional development programs for university vice presidents and college administrators.

Tess participated the WISE ePortfolio project. You can read more about Tess on her ePortfolio at http://professional.education.uiowa.edu/mtbarker/.

 

Amy - Undergraduate Programs Graduate Assistant

In January 2009, Amy S. Carey joined the WISE staff to organize the Undergraduate Peer Mentoring Program and serve the needs of the many undergraduate WISE women.  Amy has just started the Masters of Teaching (MAT) program in the College of Education this semester, with a focus in Secondary English Education.  In one of her current courses, she is completing a teaching practicum in an eighth-grade Language Arts classroom in a local junior high school.  Before her studies in education, Amy completed her Masters in English at the University of Iowa and focused on nineteenth-century British literature and the novel.  After graduating from Purdue University and before returning to graduate school, she worked for 5 years at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, where she managed the Corporate Fund and wrote foundation and government grants.   

In her spare time, Amy has volunteered with the Pediatric Inpatient Unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and participates in a local junior high student mentoring program.  She also enjoys reading novels, running, and trying new restaurants with friends. 

Amy is thrilled to be working with the WISE staff and the talented undergraduate students that she feels privileged to be getting to know through WISE.    

Kelly - Living-Learning Programs Graduate Assistant

Kelly Giese joined the WISE staff in August 2009 to coordinate the WISE Living Learning Community in Stanley Hall.   She is currently pursuing an MA in Student Development in Postsecondary Education at the University of Iowa. Kelly completed her baccalaureate degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied contemporary history and gender and women’s studies.  As an undergraduate, she worked in academic advising and summer orientation programs.

When she’s off campus, Kelly volunteers her time at the Iowa City Animal Center. She also enjoys baking and cooking, especially when trying new recipes.  Kelly is excited to join the WISE staff and to work with all of the brilliant WISE women!

 

WISE Organizational Chart (updated June 2007)