March 06, 2008 —

Gil with daughters Angela and Victoria

The Viterbi School's Yolanda Gil, Kate Baxter and Robyn Strumptwere named "Remarkable Women for 2008" March 5.

The trio were recognized for their achievements in their respective fields, significant contributions to USC, commitment to students, commitment to women's issues, community involvement, leadership accomplishments and professional recognition and honors.

The awards are sponsored by the USC Office of Campus Activities and the Women's Student Assembly. In the last six years, almost 350 outstanding women have been nominated by their peers for this honor and more than seventy women have been recognized.

Some 40 women, representing undergraduates, graduate students, staff and faculty received nominations. Twelve received awards.

Gil is associate director of research in the ISI Intelligent Systems Division, research associate professor in the Viterbi School's Department of Computer Science, and principal investigator and project leader of the Interactive Knowledge Capture Research Group at ISI.

Baxter was appointed director of the Women in Engineering (WIE) Program in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering's Office of

A remarkable lineup: (from left) winner Kate Baxter of WIE, student nominees Stacey Schwartz, (ISE), Althea Lyman (BME,) winner Robyn Strumpf, nominees Amy Lin (CS), Kristen Azevedo, (Rosier) and staff nominee Tisha Armatys. assistant director VSOE student affairs.

Admission and Student Affairs in January.

Robyn Strumpf is a USC Trustee Scholar now in her junior year, with a joint major in mechanical engineering and political science. A project she began when she was 12 years old called Project Books and Blankies, provides baskets of books and a quilt to needy schools and homeless shelters throughout California. In seven years time, Project Books and Blankies has given away more than 18,000 books and raised more than $120,000 in grants and donations of books, fabrics and supplies.

In addition to the three selected for remarkable status, four other Viterbi students and staff were nominated. (see caption of accompanying image.)

The 2008 awardees join 60 other women who have been recognized over the past six years as "Remarkable Women"