“I was drawn to the intensive, small-group focus and aimed to get the most out of the program as possible,” said Dresselhaus. “This was an opportunity to deliberately take time away from work, build skills to better navigate work environments, imagine a better future for people in science, and discuss concrete ways that we can help to build that future.
“I found exactly what I had hoped for and more,” concluded Dresselhaus. “I feel that we really became a team — supporting each other, cheering each other on, and celebrating hard-earned successes together.”
Shining Lights launched with an inaugural cohort of 16 participants in January 2025, thanks to a generous gift by Gigi Coe and Michael Garland. Now in its second year, the program retooled its offerings to provide better service to its new cohort. Berkeley-based Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral scholars who have demonstrated an interest in improving gender representation can apply to join as Shining Lights fellows. While the program is open to anyone regardless of gender, it directly addresses many of the unique challenges faced by women.
Participants attend professional development workshops spanning a range of topics, including leadership, public speaking, networking, work-life balance, and more. Once the workshops begin, participants can access related books and six months of unlimited executive coaching.
The program’s director, physics professor Gabriel Orebi Gann, said applicants expressed three main goals for joining the program: developing professional skills, building self-confidence, and establishing a support network.