[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 139 (Friday, October 3, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S12445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO DR. BARBARA LAZARUS

 Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay a special 
tribute to one of the true educational leaders of our time, Dr. Barbara 
Lazarus, whose contribution to expanding educational access for women 
and people of color has been immeasurable. It is not often that a 
single individual envisions how the world can be more just, has the 
talent to implement that vision, and conveys the passion that attracts 
others to the cause. Dr. Lazarus embodied all of these attributes and 
more, working tirelessly for inclusion and understanding.
  Dr. Lazarus, an educational anthropologist, served as the associate 
provost for academic affairs at Carnegie Mellon University until her 
untimely death this past July. While at Carnegie Mellon, she became a 
nationally recognized leader in promoting women in science and 
engineering, and she won Carnegie Mellon's Doherty Prize, the 
university's highest honor for educational contributions. Dr. Lazarus 
touched the lives of hundreds of students and staff through her efforts 
to give women and minorities increased access to nontraditional 
occupations. Her commitment to promoting women and minorities in 
science and engineering has had an important impact throughout American 
higher education, as programs she created to overcome barriers have 
been replicated across the country.
  Also concerned with reaching children, especially girls, she invented 
``Explanatoids,'' short lessons explaining the science behind everyday 
phenomena, from roller coasters to curve balls. This project, too, is 
being replicated at playgrounds and other institutions, including the 
Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum.
  Prior to joining Carnegie Mellon, Dr. Lazarus was the director of the 
Center for Women's Careers at Wellesley College where her 
groundbreaking work focused on the role of professional women in a 
global, multicultural society. She became the codirector and the only 
non-Asian member of the Asian Women's Institute Commission on Women and 
Work. In that capacity, she organized meetings in several Asian 
countries that brought together women scholars, government leaders, and 
activists to address the challenge of moving Asian women from 
traditional to nontraditional roles, particularly in the workplace.
  Throughout her career, Dr. Lazarus wrote books, articles, and gave 
hundreds of talks to share her ideas and inspire others in this work. 
She will be missed by her family, as well as the hundreds of friends, 
faculty, and students who were inspired by her counsel. And she will be 
missed by all of us for her significant contributions addressing 
important issues of our time, and general improvement of our human 
condition.

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