Upcoming Events

2024-2025 Annual Theme: Grit, Growth, Gratitude

The journey of a woman, especially professionally, is an ever-evolving experience that, while integrated in the world, is still very unique to each of us. Women strive to break barriers, shatter glass ceilings, and pave the way for future generations through their careers. This journey entails embracing and representing grit, growth, and gratitude. For many women, particularly in the STEM industries, grit means tackling challenges head-on. Through grit and determination to continue the journey, women embody an infinite growth ability. Professionally, growth is not just about accumulating knowledge but also about evolving as individuals and as leaders. This means seeking out opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, and continuous education. This the mission that WEST seeks to fill, and one of the many facets of the WEST community that our members love. As women grow, we reflect on the grit, growth, support, and opportunities required to get where we are, and embrace gratitude. For WEST, gratitude extends past the individual journey and leads us to generously give back to the community that has empowered us. After much reflection, as well as looking ahead to the future, these tenets, grit, growth, and gratitude, have been selected as WEST’s Annual Theme for 2024-2025.

Aug6

Deep Work in a Distracted World: Skills to Sharpen Your Focus
August 6, 2025, 6:00-7:00 PM ET 

In our world of constant notifications, endless emails, and overflowing to-do lists, the ability to focus has become incredibly challenging, risking our ability to achieve our most important goals. In his book Deep Work, Cal Newport explores how we can cultivate sustained concentration in the face of these challenges.

Join our interactive 60-minute virtual discussion where we'll explore Newport's four strategies for enhanced productivity:

  • Work Deeply: Create rituals and routines that protect your cognitive resources

  • Embrace Boredom: Strengthen your focus muscle by resisting constant stimulation

  • Quit Social Media: Reconsider digital tools that fragment your attention

  • Drain the Shallows: Minimize low-value tasks that consume your day

Location: Zoom

Cost: Members: $5; Non-Members: $15

Register

 

Aug17

WEST Dynamic Pod Mentoring - Application Deadline
August 17, 2025

Kick start your development with a 1:1 goal setting session, training, and mentor stories. Then, each of the following two-hour virtual sessions features core pods, flex pods, and networking.

  • Each Core Pod has a general topic for the whole program that is set from the beginning based on preferences ranked in the interest survey. The same group with around 2 mentors and 5 mentees will meet for 30 minutes each session building towards your goal and driving accountability. 
  • Flex Pods allow you to further individualize the program by selecting topics most important to you and working with a broader range of mentors. In the flex pod, mentors will address a topic with 1-3 mentees who choose that topic. The mentor and fellow mentees will change each session.
  • Short structured networking activities are designed to help you connect to your peers.
  • Mentor stories allow you to hear the career journeys and hard won wisdom from each of the mentors.
Location: Zoom

Cost: Members: $100, Non-Members: $200

Register

 

Aug28

Hacks to Your Dream Job
August 28, 2025, 6:00-7:30 PM ET 

Job hunting and preparing for interviews can feel a bit like a guessing game. What types of jobs can you look for, what kinds of jobs should you be looking for? Should you be using a recruiter? When you do land an interview, what are companies looking for? How can you stand out from the other candidates?
These are the questions that Jobgini is here to answer! In her upcoming event, Hacks to Your Dream Job, Gunjan Kuthiala will take a deep-dive look into how to be found by a recruiter, use their guidance to apply for the right jobs, and what preparations will make you stand out as a candidate. In this workshop we will:
  • Explore where & how to post your resume
  • How to exhibit A+ skills
  • Behavioral interviewing techniques that will engage the interviewer
Location: Lab Central, 700 Main St., North, Cambridge, MA

Cost: Members: $10, Non-Members: $20

Register

 

Sept10

SuperPowers in Action
September 10, 2025, 6:00-8:00 PM ET 

What Happens Here? 

MyndShift empowers you to make big shifts and bold moves in your career and personal life. How? Through a proven process rooted in Positive Psychology and real-world results. In this dynamic workshop led by Nancy McCabe, CPPC, you will quickly start turning your visions for the future into reality.

Location: Alexandria Real Estate, 400 North Beacon St., Engine Room, Watertown, MA

Cost: Members: $15, Non-Members: $30

Register

 

sept11

WEST Dynamic Pod Mentoring - First Session
September 11, 2025, 6:00-8:00 PM ET

Kick start your development with a 1:1 goal setting session, training, and mentor stories. Then, each of the following two-hour virtual sessions features core pods, flex pods, and networking.

  • Each Core Pod has a general topic for the whole program that is set from the beginning based on preferences ranked in the interest survey. The same group with around 2 mentors and 5 mentees will meet for 30 minutes each session building towards your goal and driving accountability. 
  • Flex Pods allow you to further individualize the program by selecting topics most important to you and working with a broader range of mentors. In the flex pod, mentors will address a topic with 1-3 mentees who choose that topic. The mentor and fellow mentees will change each session.
  • Short structured networking activities are designed to help you connect to your peers.
  • Mentor stories allow you to hear the career journeys and hard won wisdom from each of the mentors.

The dates of the program are 9/11, 9/25, 10/16, 11/6, 11/20, and 12/11. All session will be via Zoom 6-8pm ET. Currently open to WEST members only.

Location: Zoom

Cost: Members: $100, Non-Members: $200

Register

 

Sep16

Career Possibilities Panel & Speed Networking - Breaking Traditional Career Boundaries in Biopharma Communications
September 16, 2025, 6:00-7:30 PM ET 

This panel is designed to help you think about your career path and the different options that are open to you. The panel will have an informational interview type feel with panelists sharing their career paths, a look at what their job entails, transferrable skills for those looking to make a change, tips for uncovering opportunities, advice for others, and how to make brave leaps.

Location: Zoom

Cost: Free to All

Register 

sept18

Building Adaptive Strategies for Career Advancement in Science
September 18, 2025, 4:00-5:30 PM ET

Dr. Jenn Felsted-Knight, former neuroscientist turned leadership coach, will present a framework designed to help you clarify your professional purpose and unique value proposition, create a roadmap that evolves with changing priorities, and apply systematic approaches to career decision-making. Then two accomplished women leaders will share how they've navigated their career paths, including strategic pivots that accelerated advancement, relationship-building that opened opportunities, and approaches to balancing technical excellence with leadership development.

You’ll Leave With:

1.      A framework for clarifying your professional purpose and creating adaptive career roadmaps

2.      Systematic approaches to building adaptive career strategies that respond to evolving opportunities

3.      Real-world insights from leaders on navigating career advancement in science

LocationBristol Myers Squibb, 250 Water St., East Cambridge, MA 02141

Cost: Members: $10; Non-Members: $20

Register

 

oct2

Tantalizing Technical Talks: How to Make Complex & Bland Topics Captivating & Compelling
October 2, 2025, 6:00-7:45 PM ET 

When you join me in this talk, you will receive methods that I’ve shared in training over 30,000 career professionals in 30 cities internationally so you can influence with impact.

In this fun and interactive session, you will:

  • Receive 3 well-tested practical tools that you can use immediately in your very next meeting or presentation that brings LIFE to even the driest technical topics.
  • Understand the 3 most common mistakes that make a presentation a total “snooze-fest” AND what to do instead so you leave your listeners wanting more.
  • Discover a profound bonus method that the pros use to ensure that you can win over your audience no matter how technical or bland your topic is.
Location: Lab Central, 700 Main St., North, Cambridge, MA

Cost: Members: $5; Non-Members: $15

Register

 

Oct22

25th Anniversary Celebration & Awards Event
October 22, 2025, 6:00-8:30 PM ET 

Join us for an unforgettable evening as we celebrate 25 years of advancing women in science, technology, and engineering at the WEST 25th Anniversary Celebration & Awards. This milestone event will bring together our vibrant community to honor the people and moments that have shaped WEST’s legacy—and to spotlight the bright future ahead.

The night will be filled with delicious food, drinks, and meaningful connections as we reflect on the incredible achievements of the WEST network. Enjoy a dynamic evening of networking with like-minded professionals, leaders, and changemakers who share a passion for equity and innovation in STEM.

Our program will feature the presentation of the WEST Awards, recognizing the outstanding individuals and organizations that exemplify the spirit, values, and mission of WEST. We'll also share about how WEST has grown, what we’ve accomplished together, and where we’re heading next.

Location: Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc., 600/700 One Kendall Square, Atrium, Cambridge, MA

Cost: Members: $50; Non-Members: $75

Register

 

oct28

Leadership Strategies to Advance Your Career in Science
October 28, 2025, 12:00-1:30 PM ET

Sandra Glucksmann, CEO, Serial Entrepreneur, and Board Member, will share stories of her career challenges and successes. She will touch on the following topics:

  • Understanding the difference between leadership and management
  • Leadership Abilities and Competencies
  • Leadership Styles
  • Practical Tools for Leadership (communication, negotiation, leading effective teams, and leadership without authority)
  • Leading Technical Individuals
  • Reaching Your Full Potential as a Leader
Location: Zoom

Cost: Members: $5; Non-Members: $15

Register

 

nov10

Becoming the She-ro in Your Life
November 10, 2025, 6:00-7:00 PM ET

 In this seminar, you’ll learn how to embrace the power of your mind to shape your career to create the life you want. You’ll learn how to break free of indecision, fear, and disarm your inner critic to work and live intentionally. In particular, you will draft a plan to ensure your career goals are created to align with a life of meaning, joy, and satisfaction. Along the way, this seminar will enable you to define your purpose and solidify a vision of your very best life. Only with this clarity will the right career goals and path materialize for you.

Location: Zoom

Cost: Members: $5; Non-Members: $15

Register

 

dec4

The Promise of Human Possibility: Learn, Adapt, and Grow Amidst Constant Change
December 4, 2025, 6:00-7:30 PM ET

Many of us are experiencing the most disruptive decade we have faced in our lives to date and feel overwhelmed and unmoored. How do we find clarity and agency amidst disruption and uncertainty? How do we develop, grow, and lead ourselves and others amidst constant change? In this session, led by Julie Jungalwala, you will learn how to do that; you will learn the predictable stages of internal change ('The Terrain of Transition') and the critical adaptive abilities that will enable and sustain your development through ongoing change and disruption. These research-based frameworks are brought to life through inspirational stories of women just like you. Women who are leading themselves and others amidst constant change. It starts with you, creating a renewed sense of purpose, the life that you are here to live, and embracing the greater possibility that lies within all of us - waiting to be unleashed. Participants leave inspired to become architects of their own future, equipped with practical strategies to access the potential of their future self and a customized roadmap to help them get there.

LocationBe Biopharma, One Kendall Square, Building 200, Cambridge, MA 02139

Cost: Members: $15; Non-Members: $30

Register