Who we are

Graduate Womxn in Biology (gwiBio) is an inclusive group for female-identifying, transgender, and non-binary individuals in the MIT Department of Biology. We are a safe space for graduate womxn to develop a sense of belonging and visibility, and to build meaningful connections with staff and faculty in the department.

gwiBio runs 3 programs to enhance the experience of womxn in the MIT Biology program - the Glass Shards speaker series, an outreach program, and a mentorship program.

The Glass Shards speaker series provides professional development and career guidance opportunities to Biology graduate students by inviting womxn speakers to share their personal experiences in different science-related fields, and has so far included conversations with Biology faculty members, science writers, and a public speaking and presentation skills workshop from the MIT Communication Lab.

The outreach program is focused on encouraging womxn-identifying students at local high schools and colleges to pursue futures in science as well as creating opportunities in the broader community to make science more accessible. This program provides an outlet for Biology graduate students to practice science communication and serve as mentors outside the MIT community.

The mentorship program is a 'pod' style program that brings together womxn-identifying undergraduates, graduate students, post-docs and faculty in biology-related departments to develop communities in which participants can meet and foster lasting relationships with new colleagues, benefit from varied forms of guidance and mentorship, and share personal experiences and promote transparency about pursuing different paths in biology.