In May 2010, Quarmby wrote an op-ed in the Ottawa Citizen on gender equality in Canadian science and technology, after the Canada Excellence Research Chairs program did not select any women scientists for the nineteen awards it handed out. This prompted the Vancouver Sun to name her one of 100 BC "Women of Influence" in 2010. She has been an active member of the American Society for Cell Biology's Women in Cell Biology Committee throughout her career.
