Myra Dinnerstein
As Director of the University of Arizona's Women's Studies Department from its beginning in 1977 Dr. Dinnerstein brilliantly shaped the program and simultaneously took a leadership role in development of Women's Studies program and curricula across the United States. Now retired Myra was responsible for obtaining large grants; creating the Southwest Institute for Research on Women (SIROW); organizing the UA Women's Studies Advisory Council (WOSAC) a community group to fund scholarship and projects; spearheading the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program; and leading a university-wide initiative to improve the academic climate for women and minorities on campus. Dr. Dinnerstein has written on mid-life women and the women's studies curriculum. Currently her research is focused on women and the body. She is writing a book called Fat Matters: The Lives and Careers of Fat Successful Professional Women from Girlhood to Adulthood.