A professor at Temple University’s Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry has received a $15,000 fellowship award from the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) to study why there are so few women deans at U.S. dental schools.
Dr. Kellly Holst.
Dr. Kelly Holst, an assistant professor of restorative dentistry who received ADEA’s Enid A. Neidle Scholar-in-Residence Program award, will conduct interviews with current and former women deans. Her aim is to understand their career journeys, note the shifts they've seen in academic leadership, and gather suggestions on how institutions can create fairness in leadership roles, according to a story published on December 6 in Temple Now.
Holst was inspired to study this topic after seeing a study published in the Journal of Dental Education revealing the extent of the gender gap among dental school deans. Holst said she was surprised by the finding, since more women than ever are entering dentistry, according to the story.
In addition to the stipend, the award allows Holst to visit ADEA's headquarters in Washington, D.C., which will provide her with time to conduct research, participate in networking, and develop leadership skills.
“Being involved with this fellowship puts me in a place where I can have access to a variety of different women, meet with them and understand their experience and how this will inform my project,” Holst said in the release.
