Across our campus, women working and studying in science are responsible for groundbreaking research, innovative discoveries and transformative education. In areas as diverse as engineering, cognitive science, healthcare and patent law, these role models are pushing boundaries and inspiring the next generation of women scientists.
Their work not only advances knowledge but also paves the way for greater inclusivity in STEM fields, where women have historically been underrepresented. To celebrate today’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we are highlighting the contributions of a few of the women who teach, learn, research and lead at Case Western Reserve University.
Angel Nieves
Third-year undergraduate student, cognitive science
College of Arts and Sciences
There’s no doubt that adolescents coming of age today are experiencing stress levels and emotional health crises at levels that we likely haven’t experienced before. Fortunately, there are young scholars like Angel Nieves whose research in culturally responsive mindfulness led to her working with fifth and sixth graders in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) to test approaches and collect data that could help students improve their academic performances and attendance.
A newly introduced subject within scientific literature, culturally responsive mindfulness improves stress reduction by emphasizing patience, alternate perspectives, self-acceptance and more.
“The best-case scenario working with students would be improving emotional regulation and self resilience in order to mitigate external aversive factors that can impact a child’s education,” Nieves said. “Improving these skills within a child can limit behavioral disruptions, emotional outbursts and affirm identities in a classroom.”
Nieves’ mother and grandmother highly valued education and she wants to pay that forward as a champion of young women who are considering a career in STEM.
“While the number of women in STEM-related fields or careers is growing, there’s still a need for more,” Nieves said. “Introducing those with passionate minds and unconventional ideas only adds to improving the current systems by constantly critiquing and evolving our current knowledge.”
Catherine Demko
Associate Professor, Department of Community Dentistry
School of Dental Medicine
Catherine Demko, associate professor in the Department of Community Dentistry, attributes her passion for science to its endless opportunities for creativity and discovery.
With an early interest in biology and genetics, Demko began her academic journey studying microorganisms and patterns of inherited antibiotic resistance, eventually earning her PhD in epidemiology from CWRU. That fascination evolved throughout her career as she explored ways to apply knowledge, answer new questions and innovate within the field of health science.
Reflecting on her academic journey, Demko noted a lack of strong female faculty mentors during her undergraduate and early graduate studies. However, she found valuable support through a network of female graduate students who served as peer mentors.
“Having someone to share experiences with—who truly understood our challenges and goals—made all the difference,” she said.
This collaborative network underscored the importance of advocacy and encouragement for women navigating STEM disciplines for Demko, and she credits her early professional success to a supportive workplace led by a woman who valued work-life balance, which enabled her to thrive in her field while maintaining a fulfilling personal life.
“STEM disciplines offer so many opportunities for outstanding careers with solid economic rewards, but not everyone—including the young women themselves—recognize their potential in these fields and the unique and creative perspective they bring,” said Demko. “Both individual mentors and our educational system need to promote the STEM opportunities and support young women in those choices to enhance participation and success.”
Evren Gurkan-Cavusoglu
Associate Dean for Academics
Case School of Engineering
As associate dean for academics at Case School of Engineering, Evren Gurkan-Cavusoglu advocates for fostering an inclusive STEM environment. With a background in electrical engineering, Gurkan-Cavusoglu’s research is focused on machine learning and statistical signal processing to improve outcomes in healthcare.
Her journey reflects not only her individual achievements in a field that is historically underrepresented by women but also her commitment to supporting other women in science and technology.
“My PhD advisor and my department chair were women,” Gurkan-Cavusoglu said. “Having them made me feel really supported and taken care of.”
It was those earlier experiences that fueled her determination to pave the way for others.
In partnership with students, Gurkan-Cavusoglu developed the Women in Tech initiative, a student-led organization aimed at connecting and empowering women interested in technology careers.
“It’s important to create a community,” she said. “The students who lead this initiative are building connections that will carry them throughout their careers.”
In addition to a community, Women in Tech also provides professional development for members in partnership with Weatherhead School of Management, where Gurkan-Cavusoglu earned a master’s degree in 2016. Students now take a series of Weatherhead workshops focused on topics like elevator pitches, negotiations, difficult conversations, presentation skills and more.
Gurkan-Cavusoglu encourages young women to seek out community by joining organizations, reaching out to peers older than them and connecting with faculty.
“They shouldn’t doubt themselves,” Gurkan-Cavusoglu said. “They belong and we all understand their experience very well.”
Erin Bies
Third-year student, Juris Doctor
School of Law
Often overlooked as a scientific field, third-year law student Erin Bies describes patent law as “the place where science and law intersect.”
“I always knew I wanted to work in patent law because it meant two things: interacting with new science, and being a part of the adversarial process of securing a patent for a new idea or invention,” she said. “I’m a debater at heart and the fight is fun!”
While in law school, Bies has completed two internships in the Cleveland area—one at a patent prosecution firm and the second at a larger law firm with a robust intellectual property (IP) department.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work on a variety of technologies,” she explained. “The cool thing about patents is that every time you start a new project, you do a deep dive into how the machine or invention works. You have to know all of those details to write the patent application and protect the invention. For every project, you become a specialist in a new area of technology.”
Bies has also worked in the IP Venture Clinic at the law school, writing patent applications for others in the CWRU community to help them secure rights to their ideas. With an approved patent, her clients can raise money to fund their venture without the fear that someone will try to copy their idea.
“It’s such a positive area of law where your clients are creating new things, building brands or making discoveries,” Bies says. “They’re almost always happy to talk to you since you’re the one protecting their work.”
Stephanie Roy
Equity Research Associate for the OMEGA Project
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
Stephanie Roy never imagined that her passion for public health would lead her to the forefront of both research and community advocacy. From tackling racial disparities in HPV prevention to shaping innovative treatments for knee osteoarthritis, her work is driven by a singular goal: ensuring that everyone—regardless of background—has equitable access to healthcare.
“One of my first opportunities in public health was to improve access to HPV testing for all demographic populations,” Roy recalls. “That experience opened my eyes to the inequities that exist, especially when it comes to accessing and managing one’s health.”
Her efforts have spanned critical areas including infant mortality, diabetes, heart disease and end-stage renal disease. She has addressed these issues both at the community level—through health fairs and educational programs—and at the organizational level by implementing diversity, equity and inclusion training.
Roy’s work led her to become an equity research associate for the OMEGA (Orchestrating Multifaceted Engineering for Growing Artificial Joints) Project at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. The university-wide project aims to develop innovative knee replacement technology while integrating patient experiences to address healthcare disparities.
“What drew me to OMEGA was its emphasis on improving equity through community engagement,” she explained. “Cell regeneration technology is impressive, but ensuring that the voices of those living with knee osteoarthritis shape its development is invaluable.”
Roy is also passionate about supporting women in STEM.
“I’ve always admired women who have broken barriers in science—they’ve helped open doors for others, including me,” she says. “Championing girls in STEM is essential. Diversity drives innovation, and I want to show young women that a career in science is not only possible but necessary.”
Solomiia Boyko
Postdoctoral trainee, Department of Physiology and Biophysics
School of Medicine
Solomiia Boyko (MED ’23) was recently tapped by Nature magazine as one of three young neuroscientists to watch in the country. Her research focuses on understanding cellular processes and mechanisms that can cause neurodegenerative diseases. Specifically, she investigates the role of liquid-liquid phase separation in the pathological aggregation of tau protein.
“It is all possible because I have a great mentor here, Witold Surewicz,” said Boyko. “First as a PhD student and now as a postdoctoral trainee, he helps and guides me while giving me freedom to explore, providing a lot of room for creativity. The environment fosters you to try different things—fail, repeat, try again and don’t be afraid to fail. You will come up with another idea.”
Running a polymerize chain reaction (PCR) test for a high school competition with a
molecular biologist mentor sparked Boyko’s passion for science.
“I knew then I wanted to do research because it’s fascinating and it’s my way to contribute to the general knowledge and health for society,” said Boyko.
After growing up in Ukraine, her research journey took her to Vienna and then to Poland, where she conducted her first Alzheimer’s disease study. This experience led to the opportunity to attend Case Western Reserve for her PhD and current postdoctoral fellowship. She has published 10 papers with over 700 citations.
Christine Horvat Davey
Assistant Professor
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
As a researcher dedicated to making a meaningful difference by improving health outcomes for aging individuals with HIV, Assistant Professor Christine Horvat Davey integrates science, technology and data analysis to address critical health challenges—particularly in sleep health and neurocognitive function.
Funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research, her research examines how sleep hygiene, exercise interventions and inflammation affect sleep quality in older adults with HIV. Early findings reveal that poor sleep habits—shaped by late-night eating, work stress and inactivity—significantly impact overall health.
Horvat Davey also collaborates globally through the International Nursing Network for HIV Research, where she helped lead a study on COVID-19’s impact on people with HIV. Her work helped generate critical insights that shaped public health strategies for vulnerable populations.
“I was drawn to nursing because nursing combines science, compassion and human connection,” she said. “It’s a unique opportunity to address health from a holistic perspective—which is important in relation to health and well-being.”
A strong advocate for women in STEM, Horvat Davey credits her PhD mentor, and former CWRU faculty member, Allison Webel—now the associate dean for research and innovation at the University of Washington School of Nursing—with inspiring her interdisciplinary approach, commitment to health equity and confidence in the field.
“As a woman involved in STEM research, I want to highlight the power of mentorship and representation, demonstrating to women that they belong in research and can make a difference in healthcare,” she said.
Molly Griffin
Second-year student, MBA in healthcare management
Weatherhead School of Management
The healthcare management program at the Weatherhead School of Management is allowing Molly Griffin to combine her passion for laboratory science with leadership and innovation. With a background in medical technology, Griffin is planning to use her MBA to expand her expertise beyond the lab and into the broader healthcare system.
Through the program, Griffin is developing the leadership and strategic thinking skills needed to improve healthcare operations. Courses in organizational behavior, healthcare innovation and financial management are shaping her ability to enhance lab efficiency, mentor staff and drive meaningful change. As a student ambassador at Weatherhead, she also is fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for current and prospective students.
“Pursuing my MBA in healthcare management has been a game-changer for my career,” she said. “Coming from a science background, I’ve always been focused on the technical side of laboratory work like troubleshooting instruments, running tests, and ensuring compliance, but as I’ve advanced in my career I realized that leadership and strategic thinking are just as critical, especially when managing teams or improving processes within a healthcare system.”
Griffin works as a core lab medical technologist at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center where she plays a critical role in processing and analyzing patient samples. Her previous experience includes working with some of the most advanced laboratory automation systems at University Hospitals and Cleveland Clinic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she contributed to setting up a dedicated testing lab, helping streamline workflows to manage the overwhelming demand for accurate results.
Her ultimate goal is to create workplace cultures that encourage collaboration, creativity and employee engagement. With a commitment to both scientific excellence and effective leadership, Griffin hopes to make a lasting impact in healthcare by ensuring that innovation and teamwork work hand in hand to deliver high-quality patient care.