WCM-Q event explores career journeys of women in academia – The Peninsula

WCM-Q event explores career journeys of women in academia – The Peninsula

Doha: Female leaders working in Qatar’s booming higher education sector shared their experiences of building careers in academia at a live seminar event hosted by the Division of Continuing Professional Development at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q).

The event, titled ‘Breaking the Bias: Stories from Academia’, featured expert speakers from several of Qatar’s leading universities, an interactive Q&A session, and a panel discussion.

The seminar was also accessible via WCM-Q’s online platform.

The event began with opening remarks by Dr. Aicha Hind Rifai, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at WCM-Q. Dr. Christine Schiwietz, Assistant Dean for Curriculum and Academic Advising at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), then gave a presentation titled ‘The Glass Ceiling and Academia: How Can We Make Change Happen?’, which highlighted the challenges faced by women aiming to progress to senior positions in the higher education sector. Dr. Schiwietz then led a Q&A session.

In a session titled ‘Stories from Academia’, Dr. Thurayya Arayssi, Professor of Clinical Medicine and Vice-Dean for Academic and Curricular Affairs at WCM-Q, and Dr. Selma Limam Mansar, Professor of Information Systems and Associate Dean of Education at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, recounted their career journey to date.

Dr. Arayssi said: “We were delighted to invite senior female