1:35 p.m., May 20, 2009----Pamela Cook, professor of mathematics with a secondary appointment in chemical engineering and associate dean of the College of Engineering, received the E. Arthur Trabant Award for Women's Equity at a luncheon on May 19.

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The award recognizes both the work of President Emeritus Trabant to foster a climate of gender equity on campus and the work by an individual, department, administrative unit or committee that contributes significantly to equity for women at UD. Trabant and his wife Jerry were present at the event.

Karen Rosenberg, chairperson of the Department of Anthropology and chairperson of the Commission on the Status of Women, introduced Cook. She pointed out that for six years Cook, as chairperson of the commission, has been giving the awards but that this year it is her turn to be recognized.

Rosenberg recognized those who had written letters of recommendation -- Tom Apple, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Michael Chajes, dean of the College of Engineering; Kara Maki, graduate student in mathematics; Sue McNeil, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the disaster research center; Anette Karlsson, associate professor of mechanical engineering and currently interim chairperson of the Department of Mechanical Engineering; and Beverly Wright, a graduate student in materials science.

Rosenberg pointed out that Cook went beyond the responsibilities of chairing the commission and has been active in advancing women, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields.

Cook has served on UD President Patrick Harker's Diversity Task Force, chaired WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) and is a co-principal investigator of the UD ADVANCE grant from the National Science Foundation to improve the climate for women faculty.

As associate dean, she has undertaken several initiatives to support women in the College of Engineering. She is an active member of the Association of Women in Mathematics (AWM) and other professional organizations, and is adviser of the new AWM chapter at UD.

Harker presented the award to Cook and thanked both Cook and Trabant, pointing out that this has been a year in which there has been much conversation about diversity on campus and about creating a more welcoming environment for everyone. “We could not have had those conversations” without Trabant's leadership many years ago and the commission's daily work, Harker said.

Cook thanked Apple for nominating her, the women who took time from busy lives to support her nomination, Trabant for his past guidance and Harker for the publication of the Diversity Task Force recommendations.

She also thanked the former dean of the College of Engineering, Eric Kaler, for bringing her into the college, and the present dean, Michael Chajes, as well as others in the college and her research colleagues in math. She also thanked the Office of Women's Affairs under Becki Fogerty.

Cook spoke about what “excellent women we have at UD.” She pointed out that the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award is given to young faculty in STEM fields. In the past 10 years within the College of Engineering, the number of women who have received the award relative to the number of women faculty hired was 46 percent while the equivalent percentage for men was 38 percent.

Cook concluded her remarks by saying that improving the climate for everybody at the University is a team effort, and that she considers the Trabant Award as an award for the team.

Cook is a graduate of the University of Rochester and has a master's and doctoral degrees from Cornell University. She joined the UD faculty in 1983.

Article by Sue Moncure
Photo by Kathy F. Atkinson