Center for Women's and Gender Studies

Despite numerous legal and social advances over the last several decades, women continue to face disparities in educational attainment and career advancement relative to men. Women remain significantly underrepresented across numerous professions.

The mission of the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (CWGS) is to promote learning and research about women, gender and society. We create intellectual and public communities committed to exploring women’s experiences and addressing the challenges faced by women, men, and families within Texas, the nation, and around the globe.

Started by a handful of faculty and students in 1979, CWGS now has over two hundred and fifty faculty affiliates, several degree programs, and hundreds of students who participate in our programs. We have a growing national reputation in the women and gender studies community.

Understanding the barriers to women’s success and creating programs that promote women’s leadership requires good gender studies research and the presence of strong role models within universities. The Center for Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Texas at Austin is dedicated to closing the leadership gap through a variety of initiatives that:

• Promote groundbreaking interdisciplinary research in the study of women and gender
• Support undergraduate women students in their pursuit of leadership
• Assist women faculty so that they may succeed in their chosen fields and serve as mentors and role models for their students

 By offering a wide variety of programs and events that allow our faculty, students and community members to share their experience and expertise, CWGS creates a learning and research environment that is responsive to the lives and concerns of the people in our community.