USF Sarasota-Manatee is congratulating to Dr. Giti Javidi for receiving this year’s Women in Leadership and Philanthropy Faculty Research Award.

“To be recognized by a group of powerful, influential and well-respected women for work on something as important as the gender gap in STEM is very special. I am truly honored,” she said.

The USF System WLP Faculty Research Award recognizes USF System faculty whose research and creative efforts focus on women, women’s issues and women’s initiatives.

Dr. Javidi, an assistant professor of information technology at USF Sarasota-Manatee, has focused her research on women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields and the possible obstacles to women entering the academic and career fields and remaining in them.

“The focus of my research is to learn more about the characteristics of women who enter and persist in STEM fields and to tell their stories,” she said.

Dr. Javidi found out she won the prestigious WLP award a couple of weeks ago in a congratulatory call from Dr. Anne Strozier, chair of the WLP Awards Committee. The WLP Awards Dinner will be held April 12 from at the USF campus in Tampa.