April 11, 2008
Purdue to honor Violet Haas Award winner Wang
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - |
The reception will take place from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the atrium of the Forney Hall of Chemical Engineering.
Established in 1990, the Violet Haas Award recognizes individuals, programs or departments at Purdue that have effectively facilitated the advancement of women in hiring, promotion, education and salary, or have generally enhanced a positive professional climate for women at the university.
A chemical engineering professor at Purdue since 1980, Wang was one of the founders of the Women Faculty in Engineering Committee. The committee advocates cultural and gender diversity at Purdue.
One of the activities initiated by this committee was to participate in interviews of department heads, deans and other high level administrators. Wang was appointed by the dean to chair the committee and report its views to the dean or the search committee. The Engineering Diversity Action Committee and other similar committees on campus are now emulating this practice.
"Although the idea for involving the women faculty in the interview process emerged from a group discussion, nothing would have happened without Linda's leadership," said Leah H. Jamieson, the John A. Edwardson Dean of Engineering. "Creating such a new and controversial process required enormous effort and persistence. The impact of Linda's leadership has been very large."
Wang also has participated and made presentations about Chinese culture at the Purdue diversity forums.
The awards, sponsored by the Council on the Status of Women, are named for Haas, an electrical engineering professor from 1962-86, who was instrumental in the early development of the Purdue chapter of the Society of Women Engineers. Wang will have her name added to the Violet Haas Legacy Plaque, outside Purdue Memorial Union, Room 108.
The Council on the Status of Women was formed in 1988-89 to create a voice for women at Purdue by studying existing university practices and procedures, and women's professional concerns.
The group has been active in issues related to women at Purdue, such as advocating for the development of a child-care facility and domestic partner benefits.
Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu
Sources: Klod Kokini, associate dean of academic affairs, College of Engineering, (765) 494-5349, kokini@purdue.edu
Leah Jamieson, (765) 494-5346, lhj@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Note to Journalists: Wang's first name is pronounced "Neon-Wah."
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