Dr. Joanne Conover is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology and Neurobiology and Faculty Director of WiMSE House.  Dr. Conover received her Bachelor's Degree at Pennsylvania State University and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Bath, in Bath, England.  Dr. Conover has been a professor at the University of Connecticut since 2008 and the Faculty Director of WiMSE since 2013.  Dr. Conover focuses her research on the analysis of stem cell fate decisions using in vitro and in vivo systems with an emphasis on regenerative mechanisms of repair in injury and disease.

WiMSE House was founded in 2004 and is now comprised of approximately 65 women who are enrolled in a STEM major.  More than 60% of the women living in WiMSE House are first year students.  WiMSE House is located in Watson Hall which is one of the Alumni Residence Halls.  WiMSE House has a support team comprised of Rebecca Acabchuk, Graduate Assistant, Ashley Robinson, Hall Director, two Resident Assistants; Yezmin Crespo-Adorno and Amanda Groccia, and four student mentors; Lauren Zadzilko, Alexandra Grant, Adrianna Zawodniak, and Julia Hersum.

During the Spring semester, WiMSE students are participating in lab tours, allowing the students to meet professors who have talked passionately about their research and related their work back to women in the STEM fields.  Also, WiMSE upperclassmen did an excellent job preparing a panel discussion to provide advice for WiMSE Freshmen in a wide range of topics including start-up companies, pre-med advice, SURF applications, REU's, Actuarial exams and internships.