Cameron Brady was the only woman in her undergraduate class to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in physics. While Brady found it easy to work alongside her predominantly male peers at Rowan University, it wasn’t until she attended a conference for undergraduate women in the field that she gained the confidence to pursue the study further. 

On Jan. 24, Brady, now a UConn Ph.D. candidate in physics, served on a graduate panel at the first UConn Conference for Undergraduate Women and Gender Minorities in Physics (CU*iP)—the same conference that helped launch her career. 

“The higher-level classes in physics, I was the only woman,” Brady says. “At first, it was hard to have confidence and maybe answer questions or speak out. But eventually, over time, I just learned.” 

UConn was one of 14 universities selected by the American Physical Society (APS) to host a CU*iP conference. The event was organized by a committee of UConn faculty and graduate students, led by Nora Berrah, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of physics. 

Berrah says physics has historically been a male-dominated field, but while men’s attitudes toward accepting women into the profession have become more positive, women may still wonder if it’s a supportive, friendly environment. 

“We want to give them a chance and provide a place for them to ask any questions that they have on their minds, because we want them to stay in physics,” Berrah says. 

Brady hopes this conference will provide attendees with the same opportunities it did for her. After attending a virtual CU*iP conference, Brady said she was inspired by women who continued their careers in physics. That experience propelled her to apply for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), a competitive program that provides funding for undergraduates to conduct research at universities across the country. 

“The graduate students on the panel had done that and talked about it, so it made me want to apply,” says Brady, who went on to complete two REU internships. 

To support another cohort of women and gender minorities in the field, Brady was one of the many graduate students who helped host about 100 undergraduates from across New England for UConn’s first CU*iP conference, held in Gant West from Jan. 24 to 26. 

“I want to give back to the community,” says Kaley Wilcox, another physics Ph.D. candidate and conference volunteer. “I know I’m only here because of all the support from my female friends and various underrepresented genders in physics.” 

Wilcox says her participation in the conference is a way to acknowledge the contributions of other women in the field and to be a mentor and beacon for others so more women can pursue the field. 

Berrah spent nearly two years putting the conference together. She and her organizing committee studied previous conferences to gather insight into what students needed, made a conference program featuring presentations from professors and industry leaders, and raised funds to sponsor all the participants’ attendance. 

For three days, students attended panels and lectures on a variety of topics, including technical knowledge, career paths in the industry, gaining research experience, and navigating mental health in the field. They also had a very important opportunity to meet with students from other institutions and network with their peers and professionals. 

Josephine Singleton, a junior astronomy major at Mount Holyoke College, says that while her university may be a women’s liberal arts school, there are still very few women who share her major. She says the conference is an opportunity to connect with other women and gender minorities in the field. 

 “Most of us are women or in the LGBTQ community so many of us do support each other in this sphere,” Singleton says. “There’s still a large gap for anyone other than cis men in the field of physics, but I think it is getting better now because I know a lot of Mount Holyoke’s graduates who are now working at places like NASA. It’s good to see that.”   

Brady hopes the attendees come away with the same confidence she did to pursue her interests. 

“I didn’t always think I could go to grad school for physics. I didn’t know if I would be good enough to get in,” she says. “I hope from this conference they can see women who have already achieved that and know they can do it themselves.” 

The conference was funded by APS, NSF, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Additional support was provided by the UConn Department of Physics; College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Office of the Provost; the Vice President for Research; College of Engineering; Institute of Materials Science; Edward E. Eyler Endowment for Physics; Mark E. Miller Undergraduate Research Fund; City College of New York Physicists William Miller and Myriam Sarachik Memorial Fund; Mirion Technologies; Del Boca family gift; American Astronomical Society; New England Section of APS; and Startorialist Science and Fashion Shop.