About Us

WiLS is a UCSF registered campus organization dedicated to fostering an environment to support women and underrepresented gender minorities of all orientations, ethnicities, and backgrounds at UCSF by organizing networking, mentoring, and career-building activities and promoting gender equity. We focus on providing a safe and supportive community at UCSF. The entire UCSF community is welcome & encouraged to attend all meetings and events.

While women have reached nearly 50% of all life science PhD students, the leadership -- both inside and outside of academia -- have not yet come close to mirroring this progress. As an organization, we hope to understand, discuss, and overcome the systemic institutional barriers that prevent women from advancing to positions of leadership. In addition, and in collaboration with our fellow registered campus organizations, we hope to broaden the conversation about how to lower institutional barriers for all underrepresented scientists so that the diversity of our trainees is mirrored at the leadership level.