March 2, 2015
Women’s history was virtually an unknown topic in the K-12 curriculum or in general public consciousness as recently as the 1970s. Today, womens’ contributions to society are noted, celebrated and revered.And higher education is at the forefront of cultivating and stewarding female accomplishments.
The month of March marks Women’s History Month. The Ohio State University at Lima is both the provider and recipient of women’s achievements.Two female faculty members were encouraged to pursue their research because of supportive faculty mentors during their undergraduate years, and today these two women foster the growth and development of future scholars.
Allison Gilmore, PhD, associate professor of history at Ohio State Lima, did not grow up in a military family. Yet, she’s spent 35 years studying military history.
“When people found out that I studied military history, they used to just assume that I came from a military family, or that I had spent time in the military myself,” said Gilmore. “They never imagined that I just found it fascinating and wanted to dedicate my research to it.”
Gilmore, who currently serves as the associate dean at Ohio State Lima, is the author of You Can’t Fight Tanks with Bayonets: Allied Psychological Warfare Against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Southwest Pacific, a study of Allied propaganda operations designed to undermine Japanese military morale during the Pacific War. She was awarded the Ohio State Lima Distinguished Teaching Award in 1999 and the Ohio State University Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2000.
The subjects and peers in the field of military history are predominantly male, but Gilmore says she’s never felt anything but support from her colleagues.
“My experiences run counter to the assumption that a woman studying in a male-dominated field is bound to run into problems or resistance. If anything, it makes you and your work stand out.”
Sabine Jeschonnek, PhD, professor of physics, followed a similar path, making a name for herself in a predominantly male-centered field. Jeschonnek studies theoretical nuclear physics where she makes theoretical calculations and analyzes experimental data. Less than 20 percent of all the physics doctorate degrees are awarded to women, according to the National Science Foundation.
Jeschonnek feels strongly that women and men perform and think exactly the same as one another in physics.
“Everyone says we need more scientists, so why would we leave out 50 percent of the population by targeting only males when recruiting new scientists?” Jeschonnek asked. “It’s just senseless.”
Jeschonnek’s research has been funded by the National Science Foundation since 2001 and has been published in more than 30 scientific journals. In 2003, she won the Outstanding Scholar Award at Ohio State Lima.
Gilmore and Jeschonnek exemplify the level of dedication and expertise that Ohio State faculty members devote to their classrooms and scholarly fields, regardless of gender.