Oct. 31, 2019

Faculty of Science dean honoured with Women of Inspiration Western Canada Award

Dr. Lesley Rigg recognized as a vision builder and leader in STEM
Dr. Lesley Rigg receives a Women of Inspiration Western Canada Award. She is pictured on stage with awards founder Monica Krestchmer.
Dr. Lesley Rigg, left, was presented with a Women of Inspiration Award by UWN's Monica Kretschmer. Universal Women's Network

Promoting innovation, diversity, and women’s empowerment has been the guiding priority for dean Lesley Rigg since she took the helm of the Faculty of Science in 2015. Now in her second term as dean, Rigg has been building on the momentum built through her years of effort championing transformative change.

In early October, she was recognized by the Universal Women’s Network (UWN) for those priorities as a vision builder and leader in STEM with a Women of Inspiration Award. The UWN aims to promote gender diversity, and partners with organizations that share their values to provide their members with the tools, resources, and support women need to grow personally and professionally.

“It is such an honour to be recognized for my leadership and life-long passion for advancing women in sciences, but this award is really about our whole faculty. I am successful because I am surrounded by champions of science every day,” says Rigg. “I believe we all have a role to play in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM, because greater inclusivity enables more creative solutions."

Dr. Lesley Rigg speaks at the Dream Big! Gala in Calgary.

Dr. Lesley Rigg speaks at the Dream Big! Gala in Calgary.

Universal Women's Network

At the “Dream Big!” Gala in Calgary, Rigg talked about her mission to alter the way women are viewed, included, and recognized in various disciplines and the role men can play to support women.

We not only want to have a diverse complement of teaching and research faculty, but we also want everyone to have authentic leadership opportunities,” she says.

“When you celebrate the accomplishments of one woman you raise the bar for all women. It is critical to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of role models leading by example to pave the way for others to follow in their footsteps,” says Monica Kretschmer, founder of the Women of Inspiration Awards and the Universal Women’s Network™.

Earlier this year, Rigg was honoured as a SHEInnovator by SHE Innovates Alberta, the first Canadian chapter of the UN Women Global Innovation Coalition for Change.

Celebrating diversity is one of the Faculty of Science’s strategic goals for its 2017-2022 strategic plan. Read more about how the Faculty is pushing forward to promote diversity and inclusion in Science at https://science.ucalgary.ca/about/faculty-office/strategic-plan