About the Institute

The Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University is one of the nation's oldest and most eminent research organizations devoted to the study of gender.

The current focus of the Clayman Institute is women and gender in science, engineering, technology and mathematics; both in an academic and a business setting. We partner with many organizations on and off campus to create and disseminate the findings of our research. These include the Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology, the National Council for Research on Women, the National Council for Women in Technology, the Stanford Office of Science Outreach, the Stanford Center on Ethics, the Association of American University Women, and the Science and Engineering Graduate Women's Association.

Since its founding in 1974, the Institute has offered many different lecture, research, and fellowship opportunities. The Institute's current programs include:

  • Research Fellowships: We offer research fellowships for leading gender scholars based both at and outside Stanford University. Each year, the Institute aims to bring together between 4 and 7 scholars in a research cluster to further interdisciplinary study of selected gender issues. The Institute also selects up to 10 graduate students each year as Graduate Dissertation Fellows, who are expected to share their work at monthly meetings facilitated by the Associate Director.

  • Research Studies: The Institute has an active in-house research team, currently working on three inter-related, innovative studies on issues of importance to the future of science and the high tech industry. Dr Andrea Henderson is the Research Director.

  • Public programming: The Clayman Institute is highly committed to public education on gender issues. As well as offering a program of lectures and seminars, each year we present at least one major event aimed at our local community: in 2006, we welcomed over 120 people to a mini-conference on women in mathematics, while in 2007, more than a hundred local high school and middle school students joined us for a screening of "The Gender Chip Project" and discussion of women's experiences as scientists. We sponsor many events and exhibits on campus, with particular focus on encouraging student-led activities. In 2006-07, these have included an exhibit of photographs by HIV positive women in South Africa (in association with the Black Community Services Center): a major conference on Title IX (in collaboration with the Stanford Center on Ethics); and a conference on developing women as leaders (in association with the Women's Community Center).

  • Art at the Institute: The Institute hosts four exhibits a year by emerging artists on gender themes, including young artists enrolled as students at Stanford. A recent addition to the program has been the creation of a Women Artists' group, facilitated by our artist-in-residence Professor Valerie Miner, which meets for networking lunches each quarter and presents Artists' Salons for the Stanford community.

The Clayman Institute is part of Stanford's School of Humanities and Sciences. Its financial support is derived partly from University funds, partly from endowments, and partly from expendable gifts. The Director of the Institute is appointed by the University to serve a 5 year term. The current Director is Londa Schiebinger, the John L. Hinds Professor of the History of Science. The Director is supported by a Faculty Advisory Board; and an Advisory Council composed of supporters based in the community and business. The Institute currently has a staff of 6 people, and is based at Serra House, which has been its home since 1979. The Institute's operational and research archives (1972 onwards) can be consulted at the Stanford University Archive.

Please note:

While all visiting scholars and students are welcome at Institute events, the Institute is unable to sponsor affiliation with Stanford University except through its residential Research Fellowship program; nor is the Institute able to offer office space, library cards, or administrative support to visiting scholars, except to those who are official residential Research Fellows.