New book chronicles the journeys of women physicians and scientists to fight...( HOUSTON - Just more than one year a...),Health

HOUSTON - Just more than one year after it was created, the office of Women Faculty Programs at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has introduced a collection of essays by leading women faculty aimed at inspiring generations of women scientists to come.

Legends and Legacies: Personal Journeys of Women Physicians and Scientists at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center presents the reflections of 26 current faculty women on their formative years and influences, their hurdles and opportunities as they pursued rewarding careers - and leadership roles - in science and academic medicine.

Anecdotes and insight shared throughout the book reveal personal struggles and bias based on gender, race or social/economic background, as the women sought to balance personal and professional lives, including the often competing demands of motherhood and the tenure track. The women profiled represent diverse ages, backgrounds and cultures and various professional roles, from clinicians and physician scientists to basic scientists and veterinarians. (Please see sidebar.)

In his foreword, John Mendelsohn, M.D., president of M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, noted "I was struck by how diverse - and often difficult - their pilgrimages have been, yet all share the common bond of growing up knowing they wanted to make a difference."

Editor Elizabeth Travis, Ph.D., a professor in the departments of Radiation Oncology and Pulmonary Medicine and the first associate vice president for Women Faculty Programs at M. D. Anderson, conceived the book project to recognize the accomplishments of M. D. Anderson's women faculty while spotlighting advocacy efforts intended to improve opportunities for women already in the field, as well as inspire others to choose and then stay in the field.

"Legends and Legacies is about seeing dreams through in the face of adversity," says Travis. "I hope it serves as a source of inspiration for young women d
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