This book addresses the lack of women in STEM careers through the first-person accounts of notable women who have excelled in a range of STEM-related leadership roles. Women occupy about 29% of roles in these areas, with a significant concentration in the biological and life sciences. Highlighting role models is one effective strategy to boost participation in STEM.

“Role models matter,” says Sheryl Sandberg, founder of LeanIn.org and former COO of Meta (Facebook). “In Lessons Learned, Deborah Shlian introduces us to more than 30 extraordinary women who've pushed past gender bias to expand perceptions of what it means to lead in STEM. This book will inspire so many other women and girls to reach for their goals.”

The women in this book are leaders in many different STEM disciplines and in many different sectors, including academia, industry, and government institutions like the FDA and NIH.

The book’s contributors represent a who’s who of women in STEM: Evangelyn C. Alocilja, PhD; Cecilia Aragon, PhD; Gilda A. Barabino, PhD; Lisa D. Chong, PhD; Daphney R. Chery, PhD; Rita R. Colwell, PhD, DSc; The Honorable France A. Cordova, PhD; Catie Cuan, PhD candidate; Margaret Dayhoff-Brannigan, PhD; Claire M. Fraser, PhD; Olivia L. George, PhD; Korie Grayson, PhD; Malika Grayson, PhD; Judith Greenberg, PhD; Ronna Hertzano, MD, PhD; Aishwarya Iyer, MD/PhD student/candidate; Maria Klawe, PhD; Kristin E. Lauter, PhD; Cathleen (Cat) Lutz, PhD; Marcia McNutt, PhD; Estelle Russek-Cohen, PhD; Ida Sim, MD, PhD; Barbara Simons, PhD; Tatiana Toro, PhD; Lydia Villa-Komaroff, PhD; Valda Vinson, PhD; Maggie Werner-Washburne, PhD; Telle Whitney, PhD; Amie Wilkinson, PhD; Rachel Willand-Charnley, PhD; Jiwon Yang, PhD, MBA