2026 ARA Distinguished Speaker
Professor Beuning is an influential leader in her research discipline of DNA damage and repair and is recognized for her extensive efforts to promote inclusive excellence in STEM. As the 2026 ARA Distinguished Speaker, Professor Beuning's outstanding achievements in the chemical sciences are complemented by her innovations in teaching and mentoring of students and faculty. Dr. Beuning is the lead author of a book, Teach Better, Save Time, and Have More Fun: A Guide to Teaching and Mentoring in Science, which is used for professional development at numerous institutions. She is also an editor of a new book that highlights innovative mentoring programs for undergraduates: Professional Mentoring Programs for Science Students. Career Mentoring for Students in the Physical Sciences.
Dr. Beuning is a leader in the American Chemical Society (ACS), serving on several key national committees of the American Chemical Society (ACS), particularly those focused on education and professional development. In 2020, she was named a Fellow of the American Chemical Society for her outstanding achievements, contributions to science, and her service to the scientific community. In 2021, she became a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and received the IMPACT award from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. She was also the recipient of the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation New Faculty Award, a Cottrell Scholar, an American Cancer Society Research Scholar, and an NSF CAREER Awardee, among other accolades.
2024 ARA Distinguished Speaker
Dr. Beronda Montgomery (Professor of Biology, Grinnell College) is a leader in mentoring, academic leadership, and equity, diversity and inclusion, as well as being a prominent plant biochemist. Dr. Montgomery’s perspectives on mentoring and leadership have helped form the foundations of the ARA Faculty Mentoring Program within CNAS. Dr. Montgomery is a plant biochemist, writer, and scholar who focuses on how individuals perceive, respond to, and are impacted by the environments in which they exist; this theme unites her research with her efforts for systemic change in mentoring and leadership. Three of her most recent awards are the: (1) 2025 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM); (2) 2024 Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award from the American Society of Plant Biologists; and 2022 Adolph E. Gude Award from the American Society of Plant Biologists in recognition of outstanding service to the science of plant biology.
2023 ARA Distinguished Speaker
Dr. Leslie Gonzalez (Professor and Department Head of Educational Leadership & Policy and the Director of the Center for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Arizona). She is an expert in the complexities of diversity and equity in higher education focusing on hiring and advancement at universities. She seeks to understand the conditions, mechanisms, and processes that support epistemic inclusion in academia, understanding the organizational structures of academia that constrain or enhance academic scholarship, and understanding the experiences and contributions of historically marginalized groups and marginalized areas of research in academics. Dr. Gonzales is a strong advocate for a more inclusive environment in academia. She is a national leader serving as a member of Council for Women in Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine, the 2023 Inaugural Conference Chair for the Association for the Study of Higher Education, the 2019 Program Chair for the Association for the Study of Higher Education, and a member of AERA’s Executive Committee of Scholars of Color.