UNCA Women's Studies Program Celebrates Tenth Year With Lecture Series

UNC Asheville Women’s Studies Program will continue its community lecture series with a talk on "Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Psychological Well-Being," by UNCA Associate Psychology Professor Melissa Himelein. The free talk will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, in Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a complex and serious hormonal disturbance that affects an estimated 5-20 percent of women. It is associated with a wide range of physical difficulties, including obesity, hair and skin problems, insulin resistance and infertility as well as long-term health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Despite the psychological implications of such a disorder, few studies of PCOS patients have examined social or behavioral issues. Based on Himelein’s recent research, the lecture will feature an examination of the relationships among PCOS, body image and depression.

The talk is the third in the four-part, year-long series sponsored by the UNCA Women’s Studies Program. The series, "Celebrating 10 Years: A Taste of Our Scholarship and Community," marks the tenth anniversary of the program.

Founded in the spring of 1991, the program’s mission is to promote the dissemination of knowledge about women and gender by offering courses, promoting the integration of knowledge about women and gender across the curriculum, and supporting co-curricular university activities, including one of the region’s most comprehensive Women’s History Month programs every March. To date, more than 110 Women’s Studies courses have been taught by a third of UNCA’s faculty.

For more information, call the UNCA Women’s Studies Program at 828/251-6122.

Media Contacts:

• Dr. Tracey Rizzo, UNCA Women’s Studies Director, 828/251-6122
• Jill Yarnall, UNCA Public Information Assistant Director, 828/251-6526