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March is Women’s History Month

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As many of you know, I have spent the past few years working on projects highlighting women leaders in science – in 2022 Lessons Learned: Stories from Women Physician Leaders was published.

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The book profiles 33 amazing women doctors including Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha who blew the whistle on the Flint, Michigan water scandal, Dr. Laura Esserman who is a breast cancer surgeon championing a more personalized approach to the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and Dr. Kathleen Neuzil who leads the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine where among other accomplishments she helped to develop the Covid vaccine. 
 
In 2023 I completed a second book titled Lessons Learned: Stories from Women Leaders in STEM. In it, 31 PhDs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics share their personal stories – the obstacles faced and their successes – how they beat the odds to become leaders in their disciplines and the lessons they learned along the way. 

In writing this book I was frankly a little surprised that so many women said their careers had been improbable. Several took a few detours before finding their passion and more than a few encountered stereotypes that discourage young girls from developing interests and skills in math and science- even in 2024. While each of the women profiled are unique, they all shared several qualities they felt were critical to their success including resilience, patience and perseverance. They all understand that scientific research is a marathon, not a sprint and that failure is a critical component of the learning process. All said that mentors and role models as well as a supportive life partner were critical to their success in both their professional and personal lives.

That said, let me highlight just a few of the amazing women:

Cecilia Aragon. At 5 foot 2, Cecilia is not only a celebrated computer scientist but also a champion aerobatic pilot. You’ll have to read how she overcame her fear of elevators!



Rita Colwell: Holding degrees in bacteriology snd genetics, Rita studies infectious disease and is known world wide for her cholera research. First female Director of the National Science Foundation, current President of the Rosalind Franklin Society, professor in the Institute of Advanced Computer Sciences at the University of Maryland, Rita’s personal story is filled with wonderful advice for anyone interested in science. Like Cecilia, Rita had a hobby- hers was boat racing.



Gilda Barabino is President of Olin College of Engineering as well as  President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (the world’s largest interdisciplinary scientific society). In these leadership roles, Gilda is recognized as a thought leader and highly sought after speaker both nationally and internationally. This year she was invited to the White House for the signing of the CHIPS ACT which will make the US independent of foreign chip makers.



Marcia McNutt: Geophysicist.  President of the National Aacdemy of Science is just one of her many leadership roles. As director of the US Geological Survey she responded to a number od disasters including the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Besides her impressive scientific skills, Marcia is a barrel racer!



The women in this book are intentionally a diverse group – not only in terms of their particular areas of STEM, but also in their ethnicity, where they are in their career journeys, where they live and work.



I love this quote from American civil rights activist, Marion Wright Edelman: “you can’t be what you can’t see”. Every one of these women are visible role models and mentors. I know they will serve as inspirations to everyone including today’s youngsters who may still be hearing the myth that “girls aren’t good in math or science”.

Over 12 reviewers have raved about the book including Sheryl Sandberg of LeanIn fame, Carolyn Bertozzi, PhD who won the Nobel prize in chemistry, and Bonnie Garmus, author of the bestselling novel Lessons in Chemistry.

This year Lessons Learned: Stories from Women Leaders in STEM won the President Award from the Florida Authors and Publisher Association.



SO TO HONOR THE WOMEN IN STEMM (medicine, science, technology, engineering and math), buy a copy of both books. They make great gifts for your children and grandchildren.  All royalties are going to programs supporting young girls (and boys) interested in careers in these fields. The hope is that the stories in both books will inspire young people to not only become STEMM scientists but leaders as well.

Support Veterans with ALS

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My novel Silent Survivor is a work of fiction but the issue of the link between the neurodegenerative disease known as ALS and military service which is one of the plot points is based on reality. The search for a cure remains elusive with only a few medications that slow the disease progression. 

In terms of cause, a small number of patients show a hereditary link, but the majority don’t.

What is known is that people who served in the military are as much as twice as likely as the general population to die of ALS. Moreover, this increased risk occurs regardless of military branch and whether a veteran served during war or peacetime. The association holds true for other countries including Canada.

One of the possible culprits may be a drug developed by the Army to prevent malaria. There is evidence that this indeed might be a factor. In Silent Survivor I explored this possibility using a fictional drug created by a rogue PsyOps group. 

Although for many years the government refused to accept any of the evidence that their drug might be a culprit, in 2008 there was finally official recognition that ALS is a service-connected illness. As a result, the US Department of Veteran Affairs now cover 100% of treatment for veterans with ALS who served 90 days or more.

15 years later, there is still widespread lack of awareness about the relationship between serving in the military and ALS. And even with care covered there is a need for expanding access to VA home and community services. To that end, this past July the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act was passed.

The biggest need is caregivers as most people with ALS ultimately become ventilator-dependent. According to the ALS Association, caregivers whether family members or professionals spend more than 30 hours a week providing care and at least half feel unprepared as the disease progresses. 

In my state of Florida there are no community nursing homes at all for ventilator- dependent veterans which is a huge problem.

Bottom line: ALS is among the only specific diseases that occurs at a higher rate in all veterans, regardless of their era of service. So, today while we thank all veterans for their service, for those with ALS appreciate the need for improvement in nursing home care and urge Congress to support the heroes by funding more research to determine the exact cause with the goal of better treatment and prevention .

My 3 Favorite Books of 2023

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I was asked to name my 3 favorite books of 2023.

Since I have been busy with the promotion of Lessons Learned: Stories from Women Leaders in STEM, I chose 3 books that will help readers learn more about some of the amazing women scientists who need to be known: one is a fictional character – Elizabeth Zott- but the other two highlight real life Elizabeth Zotts who have managed to become leaders in their fields despite the obstacles they have had to face: the 16 women of MIT who challenged the system and Cecilia Aragon who is not only a computer scientist but a World Aerobatic Champion!.

I know you’ll enjoy all 3 books. Click here for the discussion.

Who says women over 50 aren’t amazing?

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I wrote ‘Lessons Learned: Stories from Women Leaders in STEM’ to showcase the incredible achievements of women who have made their mark in STEM fields. I hope these stories inspire and empower the next generation of women in STEM. 

That said, let me briefly showcase a woman who is a super star in STEM going strong well past age 50: Marcia McNutt, PhD. Born as far away from the ocean as one can get, Marcia ended up a world class, award winning  marine geophysicist. Today she is the 22nd president of the National Academy of Sciences, having also served as editor-in-chief of the journal Science. Her leadership as Director of the U.S. Geological Survey earned her the U.S. Coast Guard’s Meritorious Service Medal for helping to contain the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. There is much more to her unique story including the fact that she was one of the 16 women who helped to change the way women scientists are treated today  at MIT. Not only wife and mother, Marcia is an accomplished horsewoman who does barrel racing! 

To learn more about this wonderful role model, you can order Lessons Learned: Stories from Women Leaders in STEM from the publisher (American Association for Physician Leadership by calling 800-562-8088 and ask for a 15% discount with code SHLIAN15) or from Amazon  (https://lnkd.in/exqTjvhw)

“Deep Waters” WINS 2 MEDALS!

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FAPA PRESIDENT’S AWARDS

“Deep Waters“, the third in the Sammy Greene series won 2 Silver Medals for the Florida Authors and Publishers Association’s President Award – one for Mystery/Suspense and one for Thriller.

Each year the Florida Authors and Publishers Association (FAPA) sponsors the FAPA President’s Book Awards, which recognizes book publishing excellence and creativity in design, content, and production for authors and publishers. This year we have opened the competition from North America only to the English-speaking world. We hope to encourage entries from all who share our complex and wonderful language.

Finalists are chosen by publishing professionals and librarians from both within and outside of Florida and are announced at the President’s Book Awards Banquet the last weekend of July.”

32 Years After Tiananmen

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My historical thriller, Rabbit in the Moon, was published almost two decades after the Tiananmen massacre on June 4, 1989. I waited to write the story of the short-lived Student Democracy Movement, hoping that with the passage of time the Chinese government might be more open to the truth of what happened there. 

That was not to be. The massacre was renamed the “June 4th incident”, my book was banned on the Mainland, and as I traveled to China over the years, it became clear that the government was more determined than ever to ban any discussion of the deadly crackdown- in schools, on the street, even from the Internet. 

While Mainland citizens were subject to the ban for decades, Chinese living in Hong Kong and Macau were allowed to hold yearly candlelight vigils to commemorate the anniversary. That is until last year. 

Today marks 32 years since Chinese soldiers killed hundreds if not thousands of pro-democracy protesters at Tiananmen Square. 

Authorities in Macau and Hong Kong have banned the vigil for the second year in a row saying it would violate local criminal laws and citing corona virus issues. 

Despite last year’s ban, tens of thousands of people defied the police, knocking down barricades that had been erected around Victoria Park where citizens had been gathering each June 4th for 30 years to mark the anniversary. This year, however, police closed off  Victoria Park entirely. Thousands of officers have been placed on standby to stop any attempt to hold the event.

Several pro-democracy activists have been arrested including Chow Hang Tung who is the vice chairwoman of the Hong Kong Alliance which has been organizing the annual vigils. Arrested for promoting unauthorized assembly, she continued to call on residents to commemorate the anniversary in their own ways.

“Turn on the lights wherever you are – whether on your phone, candles or electronic candles,” she posted on Facebook a day before her arrest. 

This year’s anniversary is the first since a new controversial security law was approved for Hong Kong, aimed at ending the city’s pro-democracy movement and criminalizing dissent. At least 100 people have been arrested since the law was enacted in June.

Already brave students from Hong Kong University have been photographed washing a statue titled the Pillar of Shame.

What the government’s response will be remains to be seen.

CEO of Pfizer and Deep Waters

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Sammy Greene, investigative reporter and radio host visits Thessaloniki, Greece in Deep Waters.  Thessaloniki was the home of thousands of Sephardic Jews who left Spain in the 15thcentury.  They were the majority in the city until World War II, and their social and cultural influence was captured in the city’s nickname, “la madre de Israel”, mother of Israel.

Tragically, after the Nazis invaded and occupied Greece in 1941, they rounded up 54,000 Jews and sent them north to concentration and labor camps, from which only ~5000 survived.   A few escaped by hiding among the Gentile community, and some were protected by Greek Orthodox clergy.  Two survivors of the Nazi genocide, Mois and Sara Bourla in Northern Greece became the parents of Albert Bourla, the CEO of Pfizer, oin 1961.  Known as “Akis”, Bourla shared his family’s story with Sephardic Heritage International on the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day:

“Remembrance. It’s this word, perhaps more than any other, that inspired me to share my parents’ story. That’s because I recognize how fortunate I am that my parents shared their stories with me and the rest of our family.

Many Holocaust survivors never spoke to their children of the horrors they endured because it was too painful. But we talked about it a great deal in my family. Growing up in Thessaloniki, Greece, we would get together with our cousins on the weekends, and my parents, aunts and uncles would often share their stories.

They did this because they wanted us to remember. To remember all the lives that were lost. To remember what can happen when the virus of evil is allowed to spread unchecked. But, most important, to remember the value of a human life.”

The story of Bourla’s harrowing tales of his family’s tragedy and survival are quoted in Kathimerini, Greece’s premier newspaper: 

Bourla and his sister grew up in Thessaloniki.  An animal lover, the bright young man entered the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and graduated with a PhD in veterinary medicine.  After working as a veterinarian, Bourla joined Pfizer, the mega-pharmaceutical company, in 1993, serving as a doctor of veterinary medicine and then as technical director for the company’s animal health division in Greece. Bourla went on to embrace many roles at Pfizer, including serving as Group President of Pfizer’s Global Vaccines, Oncology, and Consumer Healthcare business, helping to launch the anticoagulant Eliquis, and the breast cancer treatment drug Ibrance.

In 2020, Bourla pushed Pfizer employees for the fast development of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine in collaboration with BioNTech of Germany. He was quoted that “financial returns should not drive any decisions” with regards to the vaccine. To have vaccine ready for shipping immediately, he launched production of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine before the Emergency Use Authorization was approved by the FDA.   

Today, Bourla and his family share homes in New York and Northern Greece.  In April of 2019, Bourla was honored as the “Preeminent Greek Leader” of the global pharmaceutical industry by United States Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey R. Pyatt, at the Prix Galien Greece Awards ceremony.

 In 2020, Institutional Investor ranked Bourla as America’s top CEO in the pharmaceutical industry. His company’s Pfizer vaccine is one of the three vaccines available in the US and is helping millions stay safe and healthy around the world during this horrible pandemic.

Efharisto, Dr. Bourla!  And, if you’re interested, you can read more about Greek Jewry and Thessaloniki as you follow Sammy Greene into Deep Waters!

–by Linda Reid

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