Women’s Health Research Day highlights new discoveries

Elena Gutierrez

The Center for Research on Women and Gender and National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health presents the 4th annual Women’s Health Research Day April 21.

The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Thompson Rooms, Student Center West.

The day aims to promote research and advance understanding of new developments in women’s health, with a particular focus this year on the transition from reproductive health to reproductive justice. UIC faculty, students and affiliates are invited to network and to showcase their research through poster and oral presentations.

Cynthia Summers

This year’s keynote speakers are Elena Gutierrez, assistant professor in gender and women’s studies and Latin American and Latino studies, and Cynthia Summers, executive vice president and vice president for communications and publications at the Guttmacher Institute.

“There’s been an upsurge in people realizing how important these issues are,” Summers said. “How do we take the evidence that we have and make it widely available?”

Summers stressed how important such conversations are to the public and the UIC community.

“Reproductive health is an area that is so fundamental to human rights…it’s pivotal in achieving other goals,” she said.