Worcester Business Journal

10 Worcester Business Journal | August 21, 2023 | wbjournal.com PHOTO | EDD COTE BY ISABEL TEHAN WBJ Staff Writer M ary Munson started her research career in a laboratory at the same time as two more outgoing male scientists. She eventually realized being the quiet one wouldn't do her any favors. "I had to step up and promote my- self," she said. Munson, a UMass Chan Medical School professor and vice chair of diversity for the biochemistry and mo- lecular biotechnology department, is an accomplished scientist, elected in July as president of the American Society for Cell Biology, a professional association with membership of more than 7,000. She is a champion for women in science, and, increasingly, for diversity in science and academia. e kind of verbal, outspoken self-promotion necessary to make a name in the scientific research commu- nity didn't come naturally to Munson. She was brought up with the generation of women who were taught to be seen but not heard, she said, which made it a challenge to buck the norms as a female scientist. What did come naturally to Mun- son was her collaborative style. It's something she has always embraced in research, and it serves her as she dedi- cates her resources anew to championing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across her myriad positions in the scien- tific community. "It's stereotypical that women are more collaborative and do more team- work, but I fit that. I'm collaborative. I want to know the answer and how things work. I'm driven by that, not competition," she said. Promoting others at attitude means sometimes she receives less credit, she said, but it makes the science better and the answers clear- er. Her emphasis on collaboration over competition has fueled Munson to be a mentor for other scientists since the start of her career. She excels at mentoring, said Emily Mace, assistant professor at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City and co-chair of the ASCB's Women in Cell Biology Committee with Munson. "Mary really exemplifies the value of [mentorship]," said Mace. "Many of us have come to benefit from Mary's men- toring as colleagues or trainees." As she learned to promote herself, she realized she was in a position to promote others, too. Munson worked at UMass Chan for more than two decades and has solidly established herself at the university. She does not take the responsibilities of that leadership position lightly. "I'm totally enamored with the idea that as senior faculty we have the power to make change," she said. Following the 2020 police murder of George Floyd, as conversations about racial justice in America came to the forefront in nearly every industry, Munson – as a tenured professor – felt empowered to step up. "I realized I was in a position where I could do better, where I could do more," said Munson. Furthering diversity e Women in Cell Biology Com- mittee celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2021. While the occasion signaled a great deal of progress, it was clear there was still a long way to go and a need for a new focus extending past largely addressing white womens' issues, said Munson. "It was time to be more thoughtful and more intersectional," Munson said. A dedicated scientist's dedication to DEI Aer fighting through the ranks as a woman in academia, a UMass Chan molecular biotechnologist works to elevate researchers from underrepresented groups Emily Mace, associate professor of pediatrics at Columbia University Mary Munson seeks to be a voice for change at UMass Chan and the broader scientific community.

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