Janet Walkow

Brainstormer, Change Agent, Connector, Educator/Teacher, Entrepreneur, Idea generator, Parent, Photographer, Scientist, World traveler

Dr. Janet Walkow joined the faculty of the University of Texas in 2008, building on a successful career in the pharmaceutical industry, where she led efforts ranging from R&D to Corporate Strategy. Leading the Drug Dynamic Institute, a collaborative research center, Janet brings together scientists and investigators to work on novel solutions for disease and healthcare issues. The Institute fosters collaborations with University, industry and community leaders to develop therapeutics and identify ways to eliminate barriers to commercialization opportunities. Janet has a passion for teaching and engaging girls in STEM throughout her pharmaceutical and academic careers. She has developed a “Women in Science” platform for girls and young women to learn about STEM careers. Janet also co-founded the Leading Women Project , building on her extensive experiences, to help women of all ages learn to lead themselves and others. Janet is known in academic circles for developing cutting-edge ways of engaging and educating students, researchers and the general public. In 2013, her highly successful MOOC on edX, Take Your Medicine, enrolled over 23,000 students who explored how new drug therapies are developed. A sought after speaker, Janet is a visible and successful woman scientist, both in business and academia. Her impact at the University of Texas at Austin is exemplified by her being named as one of the university’s Gamechangers. A leader in efforts to empower entrepreneurs and women, Janet has developed pharmaceutical entrepreneurship courses and is a co-founder of the Leading Women Project, designed to help women of all ages and professions learn to lead – both themselves and others. Janet works with a variety of local and global organizations and continually seeks opportunities that support and empower people around the world. As a Same Sky Ambassador, Janet works to educate people about the efforts to empower African women through Same Sky’s work programs. She is a mentor for the Livestrong Foundation, the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and serves on the Board of Directors for the Health Promotion Council of Pennsylvania and the Harvard Kennedy School Women’s Leadership Board. Janet is currently working on a book, Take The Lead, which focuses on helping girls navigate the transition into young adulthood.

...making the world around me, at work, home and the community, a better place. I do this by connecting people & ideas, often from disparate and unexpected places, to drive meaningful change.

Higher education - in US and around the world - is becoming elitist and harder for people to participate. Institutions for higher education are stuck in an entrenched pedagogy for delivering education. The semester and quarter systems are designed for full time students to concurrently enroll in 4 or 5 courses that fulfill graduation requirements. This approach is archaic at best and discourages full immersion in and understanding of a single topic closely related subjects. As a professor, former student and mother of 3 daughters with undergraduate and graduate degrees and, I have witnessed the stress and strain of trying to balance multiple courses during a semester. Education can be made accessible to the women and men, without having to commit full time. Let's help open up education to everyone.

Collaborating, Communcation and strategy, education, Entrepeneurship, Idea Creation & Brainstorming, Innovation - Ideas into Action, Ideation, Product Development, Leadership development, Science technology, Women & Leadership

Photography provides a way to briefly capture all the movement around us. I enjoy creating images that reflect experiences and beauty.