Women of Cincy: Breaking the barriers of STEM
Assistant dean discusses her foundation and the many people who helped her in life
Women of Cincy profiled an assistant dean at the University of Cincinnati about her foundation, creating a welcoming environment for marginalized student populations and the many people whose kindness helped her.
Assistant Dean of Inclusive Excellence and Community Engagement Whitney Gaskins in UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science talked about her background in biomedical engineering and how small gestures can make a big difference.
Whitney Gaskins. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC
The Gaskins Foundation offers a program called STEMulates across Ohio to introduce students to engineering, design and process. Gaskins said the goal is to show students that everyone can pursue math or science and what that kind of career might look like.
The college created an Office of Inclusive Excellence and Community Engagement in 2018 with a focus on minority programs. Since then it has expanded to women, LGBTQ+ students, veterans and people with varied abilities, she said.
“We’re really trying to make sure everyone has a sense of community and a welcoming environment,” she told Women of Cincy.
Gaskins pointed to the many people who have helped her in big and small ways over the years.
“I believe in the power of one,” Gaskins said. “One person really can change your whole life. So that’s what keeps me going because I know that I can make a difference.”
Read the Women in Cincy story.
Featured image at top: UC College of Engineering and Applied Science Assistant Dean Whitney Gaskins speaks at General Electric Co. Photo/GE
Related Stories
Texas stabbing led to online hate and misinformation
May 21, 2026
UC Professor Jeffrey Blevins talks to the Dallas Morning News about how outside agitators seize on tragedy to push their agendas.
Materials scientist gains valuable research experience
May 20, 2026
The opportunities at the College of Engineering and Applied Science are what attracted Ananth Balasubramanian to the University of Cincinnati. He came to UC as a master's student and after two years, transitioned to a direct PhD program in materials science and engineering. Here, he works in the Digital Fabrication Laboratory and recently was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by CEAS.
6 ways starting a GLP-1 medication could affect your emotions
May 20, 2026
When patients first start taking a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medication, they probably expect to feel full. But they might not anticipate how it can influence their emotions. The medications act on the stomach and the brain, said Malti Vij, MD, a University of Cincinnati adjunct associate professor in the College of Medicine's Department of Internal Medicine and a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.