Dr. Erin Cech (she/her) is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Mechanical Engineering (by courtesy) at the University of Michigan. She earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from UC San Diego and undergraduate degrees in Electrical Engineering and Sociology from Montana State University. Cech’s research examines cultural mechanisms of inequality reproduction in the workforce broadly and STEM fields specifically. Her work has appeared in the American Journal of Sociology, American Sociological Review, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It has been covered by The New York Times, NPR, and Washington Post. Cech is the author of two books: The Trouble with Passion: How Searching for Fulfillment at Work Fosters Inequality (2021) and Misconceiving Merit: Paradoxes of Excellence and Devotion in Academic Science and Engineering (with M. Blair-Loy; 2022). She was named one of Business Equality Magazine’s “40 LGBTQ+ Leaders Under 40” and was honored with the University of Michigan’s prestigious Henry Russel Award (2021) and Faculty Recognition Award (2024).