Celebrating the Work of Women in Mass Spectrometry

Earlier this week, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science highlighted the importance of gender equity and empowerment in STEM. While progress has been made, women still encounter challenges and barriers in scientific careers, making this day an important opportunity to promote inclusion.

In celebration of this day, the editors of LCGC International are highlighting a series of articles done in collaboration with the group Females in Mass Spectrometry (FeMS). A global initiative, FeMS supports events across the world related to women in MS. The goal of FeMS is to support a diverse network of women at any career stage, by encouraging both mentorship and collaboration. The group is dedicated to creating a network of female scientists within the field of mass spectrometry (MS) (1). Every quarter, FeMS presents the Empowerment Awards, which are given to members of the group who demonstrate excellence both in their work and their support of women in science.

During the fourth quarter of 2024, the empowerment awards were presented to Faith Johnson, Safety Health Environmental and Quality (SHEQ) Assistant at ECOLAB, and Susana Palma, associate research professor of Research Center in Food and Development (CIAD) in Mexico, among others. Each of the winners spoke to LCGC about their research, covering everything from climate change to food analysis to cardiovascular diseases. All of the winners utilized different MS-based techniques as part of their work. Faith Johnson, for example, uses liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to detect antibiotic residues in environmental samples. She highlighted the impact MS can have when used for environmental analysis.

“MS is invaluable in environmental and climate analysis due to its sensitivity and ability to detect trace levels of contaminants. It is used to analyze pollutants in air, water, and soil, helping researchers identify sources of pollution and assess the impact on ecosystems and human health,” said Johnson.

Faith Johnson, Safety Health Environmental and Quality (SHEQ) Assistant at ECOLAB | Image Credit: © Faith Johnson

Palmer uses MS-based metabolomics and lipidomics approaches for metabolic profiling and biomonitoring of environmental and dietary components. According to Palmer, Mexico frequently uses agrotoxics to maintain agricultural production levels, with heavy historical and current use resulting in environmental and health issues. According to Palma, those who work in agriculture or live in agricultural areas are at higher risk of genotoxic damage and cognitive decline as a result of these substances being overused. By using MS alongside techniques like hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), metabolites, lipids, and semivolatile compounds can be separated, which can be useful in research projects related to food safety, biomonitoring, and tracking biomarkers of disease progression.

Both women emphasized the importance of mentorship to allow for better support of women in science. Johnson discussed the importance of actively seeking mentorship, which can occur through attending industry conferences, participating in networking events, and joining professional organizations. Being proactive and reaching out to one’s peers can show an eagerness to learn, while helping shape a better future for more women in science.

Susana Palma, associate research professor of Research Center in Food and Development (CIAD) | Image Credit: © Susana Palma

“We can start with small actions by sharing our passion for science to the future generations. It was great to see the FeMS community sharing pictures and videos to celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science,” Palma said. “We can keep working on actions to empower women in science by supporting training, mentorship and leadership programs. Other actions the community can take to close the gap in STEM are increasing grants and awards for women in research.”

References

(1) Females in Mass Spectrometry. FeMS 2025. https://femalesinms.com/ (accessed 2025-2-11)

(2) Acevedo, A. Mentorship in Science: Insights from FeMS Empowerment Award Winner Faith Johnson. LCGC International 2024. https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/mentorship-in-science-insights-from-fems-empowerment-award-winner-faith-johnson (accessed 2025-2-11)

(3) Acevedo, A. Women in Mass Spectrometry: Susana Palma of CIAD. LCGC International 2024. https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/women-in-mass-spectrometry-susana-palma-of-ciad (accessed 2025-2-11)