"For a truly remarkable career that has helped bring public access and understanding of science to a new level while elevating the status of women."
Shirley Mahaley Malcom, '74g of the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Receives 2001 Distinguished Alumna Award
As head of the Directorate for Education and Human Resources Programs of the American Association for the Advancement of Science-the world's largest general science organization-Dr. Shirley Malcom provides leadership to the AAAS. She designs, implements, and manages a complex set of programs and projects aimed at achieving AAAS goals of advancing education in science, mathematics, and technology at all levels; improving the public understanding of science and technology; and expanding the talent pool for science. In addition, she has provided leadership to the AAAS efforts to advance science education in the U.S., especially for members of groups who traditionally under-participate in education and careers based in science.
Throughout her career, Dr. Malcom has been concerned about the dearth of women, especially women of color, in the sciences, and has written a number of books on science, technology and women, including The Double Bind: The Price of Being a Minority Woman in Science, of which she is co-author. Her commitment to improving science education and public understanding of science worldwide and to increasing women's access to science and technology has led to her participation in international initiatives. She was a founding participant in Once and Future Action Network, a coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and donor groups convened to ensure a science and technology component in the NGO Forum held as a parallel activity to the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing. In 1983, she was an organizer for the meeting of the Panel of Experts on Science, Technology and Women, a preparatory meeting to the UN Conference on Women held in Nairobi, Kenya. She was one of eight women advisors representing all regions of the world who were part of the Gender Working Group of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development.
Among her many accomplishments, Shirley has addressed the need to bring underrepresented groups into science by leading some key efforts. These include the Black Churches Project, a network of churches designed to bring science, environment, and health education to the African American community; Proyecto Futuro, a program to connect science learning in the school, community, and home by developing bilingual materials and showing connections between science and Latino culture; and Science Linkages, a comprehensive community-wide project to build "science learning communities."
Shirley holds a doctorate in ecology from Penn State, a master's degree in zoology from the University of California-Los Angeles, and a bachelor's degree with distinction in zoology from the University of Washington. She is also the holder of eleven honorary degrees and has been honored in numerous forums for her contributions. She has received the Scroll of Merit from the National Medical Association, the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the National Coalition of Title I/Chapter Parents, and the 1990 Woman of Valor from Educational Equity Concepts for efforts to promote equity for women and girls in science.
Shirley serves on numerous boards and has also fulfilled several U.S. presidential appointments including the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology. She currently serves on the National Parks System Advisory Board.
A truly remarkable individual who brings honor to the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Shirley has also found time for Penn State, including taking the role of keynote speaker for March 2000's Commission for Women Spring Banquet "Women in Leadership." In 1995, she was named an Alumni Fellow of the University.