Women's Bodies Under the Microscope: Sex Does Matter

Paula A. Johnson is the 14th President of Wellesley College and globally recognized for advancing women’s health through innovation in medical research, clinical care, health policy, and education. Before joining Wellesley, Dr. Johnson served as Executive Director of the Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology and Chief of the Division of Women’s Health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. A renowned cardiologist, she was also the Grayce A. Young Family Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She has received numerous awards and honorary degrees for her contributions to science, medicine, and public health and has been recognized as a national leader in medicine by the National Library of Medicine.

Dr. Johnson is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine. In 2018, she authored the landmark report of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine on "Sexual Harassment of Women: Climate, Culture and Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering and Medicine." As president of Wellesley, Dr. Johnson has advanced women’s higher education, championing the ideals of inclusive excellence in every aspect of academic and residential life. A graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe colleges, Dr. Johnson received her M.D., and M.P.H. degrees from Harvard, and trained in internal medicine and cardiovascular medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Nancy L. Parsley, DPM, MHPE, is the Provost for RFUMS. Dr. Parsley received her Doctorate in Podiatric Medicine from our own Scholl College and completed a surgical residency at Northern Virginia including training in lower extremity reconstructive plastic surgery at Georgetown University Medical Center. Upon completion of her residency, Dr. Parsley became a Congressional Fellow for the United States Congress. She also earned a Masters Degree in Health Professions Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Parsley served in private practice until 2007 when she joined Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, followed by Dean from 2011 to 2019. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Podiatric Surgery and Applied Biomechanics and also served as RFU's Vice President for Academic Affairs before being named Provost. Dr. Parsley has received many honors, including being named several times to the list of Top 100 Most Influential Podiatrists and serving as Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine from 2015-2017.

Dr. Eliot’s research is centered on brain and gender development, especially the role of early environment and plasticity in neural circuits and behavior. She received a bachelor's degree in History & Science from Harvard University, a PhD in Cellular Physiology & Biophysics from Columbia University, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Eliot has authored scientific articles and two highly-praised books: "What's Going On in There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life," and "Pink Brain, Blue Brain: How Small Differences Grow Into Troublesome Gaps."