Gwen Childs Named 2009 UAMS Outstanding Woman Faculty

By ChaseYavondaC

 Gwen V. Childs, Ph.D., received the 2009 Outstanding Woman Faculty Award on March 12 at the annual Women’s Faculty Development Caucus dinner.
Gwen V. Childs, Ph.D., received the 2009 Outstanding Woman Faculty Award on March 12 at the annual Women’s Faculty Development Caucus dinner.

March 17, 2009 | Gwen V. Childs, Ph.D., received the 2009 Outstanding Woman Faculty Award on March 12 at the annual Women’s Faculty Development Caucus dinner.

Childs, professor and chair of the Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences since 2000, was nominated by 14 colleagues in eight departments for the award, which is given annually to recognize outstanding leadership, scholarship and mentoring activities.

Nominators wrote that Childs is making “a lasting impact … on the success of women in medicine and biomedical research at UAMS and across the nation.”

She is internationally recognized for her research in reproductive endocrinology, has been continuously funded for more than 35 years, and has served as a leader on many grant reviews, editorial boards and professional societies. Colleagues also cited Childs’ success in moving her department’s funding ranking from 59th to 32nd in the country, her work in the promotion of 11 faculty members, current mentoring, and many other efforts.

Others nominees for this year’s Outstanding Woman Faculty Award were Mary Aitken, M.D., M.P.H., professor of pediatrics; Charlotte Hobbs, M.D., M.P.H., professor of pediatrics; and V. Suzanne Klimberg, M.D., professor of surgery.

New caucus officers were elected during the dinner: President Dana Gaddy, Ph.D., associate professor of physiology and biophysics; Vice President Sara Tariq, M.D., associate professor of internal medicine; and Secretary/Treasurer Wendy Ward-Begnoche, Ph.D., associate professor of pediatrics.