Leadership Team
Meet the Leadership Team
of the Mid-Atlantic Girls Collaborative
Amy N. Gensemer
K-12 Science and Engineering Supervisor,
Montgomery County Public Schools
Manager of Program Services, Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital
Founder, GEMS Club and Technology Specialist,
Fairfax County Public Schools
Megan Kelly Program Specialist, Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital
Bria McElroy Assistant Director, Women in Engineering University of Maryland
Paige Smith Director, Women in Engineering University of Maryland Director, MAGiC
Elizabeth Vandenburg Freelance Consultant, AAUW STEM Advocacy Task Force
Norene Syrek Newsletter Editor MAGiC
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Watch Taylor and Friends
Episode #201- October 12th PBS SciGirls Season 2 will feature Taylor Fields of Bowie, MD in the Aquabot episode airing October 12th. This PBS series is all about engaging girls 9-13 in science, technology, engineering and math (or STEM), SciGirls understands how today's "digital native" kids largely live online. Taylor is a Girl Scout Cadette in Prince George's County, Maryland! ________________________ |
GEMS Club Founder & MAGiC Contributor wins Award
Laura Reasoner Jones Purdue University is honoring 40 individuals upon the 40th anniversary of Title IX for their significant contributions to the advancement of gender equity in education. A reception is set for October 11th as part of a conference at Purdue. Congratulations Laura! ________________________ |
MAGiC at STEMConnector 100 Women Leaders Reception
MAGiC attended the STEM Connector's Senate reception for 100 Women Leaders in early October. Pictured (L to R):
Zalenda Cyrille, Elizabeth Vandenburg, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Sheryl Cosing. As MAGiC representatives, we thank the Senator for her commitment to women in STEM.
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International Day of the Girl
October 11, 2012
The Day of the Girl is about highlighting, celebrating, discussing, and advancing girls lives and opportunities across the globe. When girls come together to talk about what really matters to us, we can teach other people-grownups, boys, girls all across the world-a new way of thinking about issues like gender stereotypes, discrimination, and opportunity. October 11 is not just a day, but a movement.
The very first state proclamation drafted by a group of middle school girls has already been approved by Gov. Martin O'Malley of Maryland. This proclamation will be part of the celebration already set for Saturday, October 13 at the Maryland Women's Heritage Center with lots of interactive activities about Title IX, STEM as well as global gender justice issues like ending child marriage.
Visit the Day of the Girl website here.
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Computer Science Education Week
December 9-15, 2012
CSEdWeek 2012 is a highly distributed celebration of the impact of computing and the need for computer science education.
In 2010, with leadership from Congressman Vernon Ehlers and Congressman Jared Polis, the US House of Representatives endorsed December 5 to 11, 2010 - the week of Grace Hopper's birthday (December 9, 1906) - as Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) to recognize the critical role of computing in today's society and the imperative to bolster computer science education at all levels.
Visit the CSEdWeek website to Take the Pledge and for more information on computer science education, CSEdWeek events, planning kit and more here.
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NCWIT Award for Aspiration in Computing
Calling all digital divas, web chix & coder girls!
The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing honors young women at the high-school level for their computing-related achievements and interests. The Award offers both national and local "affiliate" competitions to generate support and visibility for women's participation in communities nationwide. Applications are accepted September 15 - October 31 annually.
To learn about the award and application process visit here.
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A Catalyst Quick Take research report contains charts on women & men's participation in selected high tech occupations 2011 for US, Europe and India.
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Girls Get Curves - Geometry Takes Shape
The latest book in Danica McKellar's series of math books for girls is on geometry.
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Geek Mom:
Projects, Tips and Advice for moms and their 21st century families
With six sections spanning everything from home-science experiments to superheroes, this comprehensive handbook from the editors of Wired.com's popular GeekMom blog is packed with ideas guaranteed to inspire a love of learning and discovery. Along the way, parents will also find important tips on topics such as determining safe online communities for children, organizing a home learning center, and encouraging girls to love science.
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Women Do Mathematics
Free Poster Available
Whether they do mathematics for the sheer intellectual challenge, or for the critical insights it brings to solving important theoretical and real-world problems, women mathematicians love what they do. Some work alone or in collaboration with other mathematicians. Others work as members of interdisciplinary teams. Many of them also teach at the college or university level, while others are employed in industrial or government laboratories. Highlighted on the poster and on this web page are just a few of the women doing mathematics today.
To request a copy of this poster, email the AMS Public Awareness Office with subject line "women-ref-poster" and your name and mailing address. Please limit your order to three copies so that others may also have the opportunity to receive a copy.
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WitsOn! - Women in Technology Sharing Online
The project is looking for female professionals with undergraduate degrees in science and engineering disciplines who are willing to spend one hour online between October 1 and November 9 helping mentor undergraduate students and students who want to participate. Harvey Mudd College and Piazza are conducting a pilot mentoring project called WitsOn (Women in Technology Sharing Online) that will connect undergraduates pursuing STEM degrees with female mentors from industry and academia who can speak from personal experience about issues of particular concern to young women. If you're interested in being a mentor, please email Karen Angemi at Harvey Mudd College with the year you received your Bachelor's degree and your field, and preferred dates to mentor (including weekends) if you have them. If you are a student, please email your institution and graduation date. ________________________ |
Earth Science Week
October 14-20, 2012
Take part in Earth Science Week 2012! ESW 2012 encourages people everywhere to explore the natural world and learn about the geosciences. "Discovering Careers in the Earth Sciences," the theme of ESW 2012, engages young people and the public in learning how geoscientists gather and interpret data about the Earth and other planets. ________________________ |
Women@NASA Celebrates Earth Sciences Week
Join Women@NASA in celebration of Female Geoscientists Day, Thursday, October 18, 2012, by checking out these first-hand accounts of women who have advanced the study of Earth through their careers. Along the way, you learn how you too can contribute to increasing our understanding of this complex planet we call home. Visit Women@NASA Earth Sciences Week here and NASA's Earth Science website here. ________________________ |
Celebrate Lights On Afterschool
October 18, 2012
A celebration can be simple: invite parents and community members to an open house, have kids make light bulb art, or talk to your neighbors and community leaders about the importance of afterschool in your community. Events don't need to take a lot of time, money or resources to be great; a creative, low-key event with a well thought out guest list can have just as much impact as a large rally on the steps of the state capitol. What matters is taking a moment to recognize the important, positive benefits of afterschool programs and sharing that with your community - with or without the confetti! Register your event here. ________________________ |
Raytheon's Engineering is Elementary Teacher Scholarships 2012-13
Raytheon has opened the 2012 application process for its Raytheon-Engineering is Elementary�(EiE) Teacher Scholarship Program. During the 2012-13 school year, Raytheon will grant awards of $3,000 each for selected elementary school teachers nationwide whose applications best demonstrate innovative methods of generating student enthusiasm about engineering concepts. Entry forms for the 2012-13 program can be found at MathMovesU.
A program offered through the Museum of Science, Boston, EiE helps elementary school educators and their students enhance their understanding of engineering concepts through professional development workshops and curriculum resources. To date, more than 39,000 teachers and 2.7 million students have experienced EiE.
"Students learn the fundamentals of science and engineering best when taught through hands-on experience," said Pamela Erickson, Raytheon's vice president of Community Relations. "Raytheon's Engineering is Elementary scholarships help teachers bring these concepts to life in the classroom, inspiring students to become the next generation of engineers."
Applications will be accepted through Friday, Nov. 16, 2012. Awards will be announced in February 2013.
For more information about the Raytheon-EiE Teacher Scholarship Program, including eligibility and submission requirements, please visit MathMovesU or EiE scholarships.
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Quick Links
Click the links below to learn more about us and our partner organizations.
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Message from the Directors
We were excited to see over 100 collaborative members participate in our Fall 2012 Forum featuring the Emmy Award- winning PBS Design Squad Nation. The energy and collaborative spirit of all of the participants was inspiring and renewing. The PowerPoint presentation that was used throughout the day is now available online.
We encourage you to take a look at the presentation. There are many great tips on leading hands-on activities to teach girls about careers in STEM.
We also want to make you aware of our next round of mini- grants. We anticipate the proposal process to open on October 15th and close on November 15th with decisions being made by December 21st.
Finally, a special thanks to MAGiC's leadership team (see listing to the left) as well as our Champion's Board --- Damaries Blondonville, National Science Teachers Association; Nancy Holiday, Microsoft; Shameka McCaskill, Lockheed Martin; Claudia Morrell, National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity; Christine Newman, Johns Hopkins University; Yolanda Owens, AOL; Michele R Weslander Quaid, Google; and Myra Thayer, Fairfax County Public Schools --- for their strong support.
Interested in getting involved? We'd love to hear from you.
Paige Smith & Elizabeth Vandenburg
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MAGiC's Fall Forum 2012
On September 15th, the Mid-Atlantic Girls Collaborative (MAGiC) hosted a forum featuring PBS' Design Squad Nation. The event drew over 100 participants ranging from informal educators to industry professionals to college professors. We kicked the day off with speed networking, and though we each only had time to speak to a few people, I was blown away by the energy and passion that everyone in the room exuded for promoting girls in STEM.
Anna Hohos and Chris Randall from WGBH introduced us to the resources available through Design Squad Nation's interactive website, including hands-on activities and design challenges tailor-made for kids. We were put to the test with the Touchdown challenge - to build a model space landing capsule that descends slowly and cushions the landing of two marshmallow astronauts - using only cardboard, index cards, rubber bands, plastic straws, and tape. Looking around the room as groups built and tested their creations, you might have mistaken us for a bunch of kids during recess. And that was the point - making STEM fun and accessible so that kids get a better understanding and see how easy and exciting engineering can be.
A Flickr photo album is now available on the NGCP site, click here to view.
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Keeping the T in STEM
"Puppies and cheerleaders - that's how you attract the girls to computer science."
When I heard this statement from a very successful high school computer science teacher, I almost spit out my coffee onto the table.
This past June, I was honored to attend one of the Tapestry Workshops funded by NSF to encourage and increase the enrollment of girls in Computer Science. This was a life-changing experience - I left with ideas and resources and energy to revamp my programs in my elementary school, and friends who support my efforts. But not everyone will have this opportunity, and we all need to work on this concern.
For some of us working directly with girls in elementary and middle schools, it is easier and more
comfortable to ignore technology and offer experiences and activities in the other three STEM components: Science, Engineering, and Math. I think there are many reasons for this, and these reasons mirror the experiences that many girls have in school.
For many elementary teachers, math and science are their least favorite subjects to teach, with science by far the most disliked. This can be traced to several reasons, including lack of confidence in their content knowledge and lack of emphasis in teacher preparation programs. It also can be a reflection of personal preference: if a teacher liked math or science, she/he might have chosen to be a math or science teacher instead of a generalist.
For many other women working with young girls, technology is simply a tool to get a job done; little thought is given to how it works, other than when the program fails or the projector won't light up. Many women are afraid to tinker with the machine, or change something on the computer, fearing that they will "break it."
For some group leaders, providing technology experiences to groups of girls can be daunting due to equipment and access issues, let alone dealing with their own comfort level with technology. Bringing in a brief science or engineering activity to an afterschool club can be easily managed, given the vast number of ideas and resources available in these fields. But teaching a new skill/program/ technology tool usually requires more than one session and much more equipment than the average group has. In addition, borrowing school or community center equipment can be fraught with difficulties, such as administrative rights on computers to install software, Internet filters blocking Web sites, and the need to spend significant amounts of time on the program to master it. These real barricades present obstacles to teaching technology in extracurricular activities.
So, when it comes time to develop after-school STEM programs, group leaders often stick to the inexpensive and familiar math/science/engineering activities, to the detriment of the girls they serve.
Why is this important? Early exposure to STEM can make a positive impact on later enrollment (read article here . Exposing girls to IT early through kid-friendly logic and computing activities can change fear and build confidence in younger girls.
Why else is this important? Careers in IT are plentiful, high-paying, and meaningful. What more could we want for the girls we serve? But enrollment and participation in computing classes has been dropping steadily since the 1980s and fewer and fewer girls/women are graduating with CS or IT degrees. Not only are the girls missing out on great careers, but the world at large is missing out on the talents and perspectives of the women who choose not to participate.
How can we overcome this problem?
There are many free or low-cost resources available for use with girls. Here are three which provide many hours of programming for your group.
has over 60 downloadable resources that range from Computer Science in a Box, which teaches the premises of computing without the use of machines, to resources for working with parents, counselors and community members.
Their Computer Science in a Box allows you to give many fun experiences to girls without the hassle and expense of using computers. It helps the girls understand the math and logic concepts needed to be successful in IT and temporarily takes the intimidating machine out of the equation.
Logic puzzles: computer science demands a certain facility with logic-being able to work through problems in different ways and see all sides. Using logic problems with young girls can help them develop critical thinking skills that will help them in the future with any career, and will build confidence in their brains. Using one of these each gathering can be a great routine that sets the stage for computational thinking.
puzzles.com/projects/logicproblems.html
BrainDen.com/logic-puzzles.htm
mathsisfun.com/puzzles/index.html
Google's Computational Thinking resources provide a wealth of activities to support your teaching. This site also has many lessons to help teach the skills necessary to create software programs through everyday life.
If you are lucky or persuasive enough to obtain access to computers, there are many free programming languages that are designed for kids, and challenging enough to keep them interested through high school. These have been created by universities (MIT and Carnegie Mellon) who recognized early that women were severely underrepresented in IT disciplines. If you need to convince others to use these programs, use the research cited on the download Websites.
Scratch. This is a fabulous fun computer language that creates animations, stories, games, and much more. Girls as young as 8 just need a few minutes of instruction, and then they take off with it. There are many support resources on the Web site, and a special site for people teaching it, with curricula and lessons so that you only need to know where to look. One of the best things you can do for girls is show them that you are learning too, and model using the Help function.
Just like Scratch, Alice
was designed to encourage children, and particularly girls, to explore computer science and programming. It is similar to Scratch in that girls use blocks of programming code to create animations, stories and games. Alice differs from Scratch in that it brings in a 3-D component, using "cameras" to turn the characters and view them from all sides and angles. The Alice creators have provided the same excellent level of support for new users and teachers.
eToys Similar to Alice and Scratch, eToys was developed to encourage critical thinking and problem-solving in children. Developed as a multi-lingual tool, it is used all over the world to help children learn computational thinking.
For more resources, see the GEMS Club technology page.
The "puppies and cheerleaders" comment shocked me but it generated a rich Tapestry attendee discussion about the look and feel of the atmosphere in which we teach IT. This teacher does bring in the cheerleaders in his high school to make computer science cool, and he has been known to bring in his puppy. And he has a significantly higher number of successful female computer science students. So he knows his audience.
Take a look around the computer lab/room where your girls learn. Does the room look like a locker room or 'man cave', with "teams" and Star Trek dolls? (I know, I know: they are "Action Figures") Or does it look like place where all are welcome, with posters of successful women and men, maybe a plant or two, it you can keep them alive, and light, lots of light. Does it look like everyone is welcome?
Are there isolated computer stations where students stare at the screen, or are there pairs of computers, with room to talk and work together? Are there tables where they can talk and build their models or robots, or are the students sitting alone and working alone, as if they had a cubicle?
You don't have to pink it up-you just have to make it inviting and not intimidating.
We need to remember that technology is an integral part of each person's lives and careers, future or present, and help our girls to succeed in this fourth part of STEM.
For more information go to GEMS Club or contact Laura Reasoner Jones, Technology Specialist, FCPS here.
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Expanding Your Horizons: Career Discovery Day at Stevenson University
The Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) Network was started in 1974 by a group of women scientists and educators in California. This national network provides guidance to conferences in 31 states, as well as Europe and Asia. It is the mission of EYH to encourage young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The School of the Sciences at Stevenson University hosted its fourth EYH conference on September 8, 2012. A total of 178 girls registered for the conference. The girls started their day at Stevenson with a presentation by Dana Daneker Gasiorowski, Senior Flavor Chemist at McCormick & Co., Inc. Her talk was entitled, "The Most Important Thing to Know... is Yourself!" During her talk, she described what it was like being one of only a few hundred certified flavor chemists in the world. She also shared her path to her chosen career.
The girls then went on to participate in three different hands-on workshops. Participants were able to choose workshops that interested them when they registered. A total of 20 workshops were available to choose from, with topics ranging from "Cryptology 101" to "Careers in Equine Veterinary Medicine" to "The Psychology of Cinema" to "DNA Detectives". These workshops were led by Stevenson University faculty and individuals from Johns Hopkins University, Goucher College, Irvine Nature Center, the Space Telescope Science Institute, BD (Becton Dickinson), and Maryland Equine Center. Volunteers from the American Association of University Women and other community members also participated in the event.
Additional information about our program can be found on our website.
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Problem-Based Learning Leads to Innovation
Problem-based learning is a great way to spark students' interests and helps them apply knowledge they are learning in school to real life situations. Students at Dogwood Elementary, a Title I school, showed what they could do given a problem the school was facing. Carla, a sixth grader, explained, "At school we were having a lot of brown-outs and while we were studying a unit on energy, we wanted to find out what to do about it." As they uncovered more information about electricity in the energy unit, they learned that there were ways to create electricity and keep it going. So Carla partnered up with Elizabeth and Melina. All three girls were a part of the GEMS Club, Girls Excelling in Math and Science and also in a science enrichment class. During their enrichment class they were invited to be involved in the annual Science Share Fair where students can investigate, innovate, or experiment on a topic of choice. Thinking of an innovative solution, Carla said, "At first we wanted to design stairs [like the ones leading to our classroom] that as you walk on them they could collect energy but that seemed too difficult - like a large undertaking. So then we decided to make something smaller to start out with."
The girls later watched a video in the GEMS Club and learned about President Obama's Women in STEM Initiative. They saw girls from middle school and high school that had made innovations that were really exciting. Carla, Elizabeth, and Melina then came upon an idea that was much more manageable. They designed a "piezoelectronic insole". This device fits into the sole of your shoe. As you walk it collects electronic energy and then can be used to recharge the battery of your cell phone or other small electronic device. Elizabeth said, "Most of the information came from the internet and we made sure we had a lot of different sources because we felt that if more sources said the same thing it would most likely be accurate. A lot of our inspiration came from reading blogs from around the world and what people are doing to solve this problem." They developed a calendar and set goals, like researching USB ports and other electronic equipment that would be useful for their innovation. Over three months, they worked together and made sure they were meeting their goals as a team.
At the Science Share Fair, they knew they would have to demonstrate and explain their model. Melina said, "At first when we did our project and I didn't want to do it and hid myself. [By the end,] I had fun and didn't realize how many people there were because I learned to focus on one person. That helped me get comfortable. I feel more comfortable talking in crowds now."
Not every school, especially Title I schools, encourages problem-based learning, has a science fair, or a GEMS Club, but it's through opportunities like these that we can nurture the talents and ideas of innovative students. Through problem-based learning, they can apply and extend their classroom knowledge. It's a way to keep the learning going well passed the end of the unit.
Carla, Elizabeth, and Melina have set new goals for their model. "We want to know how far we'll go and we want to see how other people will experience this." said Carla. Elizabeth added, "We are thinking about making more of them to sell and we think people would really like them. We know the piezoelectronic insole works and from our survey at the science fair everyone asked said they would buy it." Carla also shared a more personal note about how she wanted to extend her learning, "I [also] really want to share with others who want to do science and to be a mentor to other kids who want to have that experience of a science fair."
For more information contact Linda Martin, Advanced Academics Resource Teacher at Fairfax County Public Schools here.
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Girls in Technology (GIT) Needs You!
Looking for a way to give back in your community? Consider becoming a mentor to a high school girl interested in pursuing a STEM career.
Women in Technology's Girls In Technology (GIT) is looking for qualified mentors for the upcoming 2012-13 Mentoring Program. This flagship program is designed to engage, educate, and inspire high school girls to the vast array of opportunities available in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). We are seeking either women who recently graduated or women who are already established in their career.
GIT holds two concurrent programs per year, one in Tyson's Corner, Virginia and the other in Shady Grove, Maryland. As far as time commitment, the program lines up with a typical school year, and meets once/month for 7 months (no session in Dec. or Apr.).
If you volunteer for the VA program, the sessions are held the second Wednesday of the month (Orientation is Sept. 25, sessions are Oct. 10, Nov. 14, Jan. 9, Feb. 13, Mar. 13, May 8, and Jun. 4). If you live or work in Maryland, the program dates are the third Tuesdays (Orientation is Sept. 27, sessions are Oct. 16, Nov. 20, Jan. 15, Feb. 19, Mar. 19, May 21, and Jun. 6). The sessions are held after school and after work, from 6 - 8:30pm, and will include a light meal, networking, featured speaker or panel discussion and group mentoring.
The young women are introduced to innovations and career paths they might not otherwise discover and opportunities to network and be mentored by professional women like yourself working in STEM fields. YOU can provide the critical link for these talented young girls to set their ambitions high and achieve their dreams!
If you would like to participate, please click here for the link to the online application form. Thank you, and we look forward to meeting you!
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Join the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital STEM Action Team
Are you a STEM professional who is interested in working with young women? Would you like to share your love of science with Girl Scouts? The Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital has a job for you! We are looking for men and women to volunteer for our STEM Action Team. On the STEM Action Team you would have the opportunity to assist with the planning and implementation of STEM programming, including events such as Girl Scout Day at the National Air and Space Museum and the STEM Leadership Institute. You'll act as a resource for GSCNC members and staff on matters relating to women in science, technology, engineering, and math and help guide our council as we strive to provide quality STEM programming to our membership.
In the past the STEM Action Team has hosted booths on behalf of GSCNC at the USA Science and Engineering Festival and other STEM-related events. They have volunteered at Girl Scout programs and helped to develop new curriculum for Girl Scouts of all ages, all while advocating for STEM in the Girl Scout experience.
Are you up for the challenge? Contact STEM Program Specialist, Megan Kelly here.
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Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming STEM Events Across the Region
Explore Engineering for High School Women
October 12-13, 2012 || Sweet Briar, VA
Contact: Dr. Hank Yochum Phone: 434-381-6357 Website: Explore Engineering
Email: Dr. Hank Yochum
Address: Sweet Briar College, Sweet Briar, VA 24595 Want to make a difference in the world? Engineers dream up ways to change the world every day. Find out more at SBC's Explore Engineering weekend. Satuday's schedule will have you
- Work in teams with Sweet Briar professors and students on a creative project that's ideal for both experienced students and those new to engineering. You will:
- Design and build an electromechanical device that draws incredible geometric shapes
- Learn the design process
- Use circuits, mechanical systems and various machine shop tools
- Speak with SBC faculty
Date: October 12-13, 2012, Start 5:00 pm Friday thru 5:oopm Saturday. Space still available. Ages: Grades 10-12 Fees: $30 for meals,snacks, supplies t-shirt.
Girl Scout Engineering Saturday @ UMD
October 13, 2012 || College Park, MD
Contact: Elizabeth Remmers Phone: 301-405-0315 Website: GSES
Email: Elizabeth Remmers
Address: 1131 Glenn L. Martin Hall, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 This program is for local Girl Scout troops in Maryland and the Washington metropolitan area. Cadettes and Seniors (grades 6-12) engage in fun hands-on activities and earn a participation patch. This program is offered twice a year in February and October.
Date: February 13, 2012, 9:00 am - 1:30 pm Ages: Grades 7-12 Fees: $10 upon acceptance into the program.
Expanding Your Horizons - US Naval Academy
October 13, 2012 || Annapolis. MD
Contact: Dr. Angela Moran
Email: Dr. Moran
Website: EYH
Address: US Naval Academy, 550 Holloway Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
This day-long event will include hands-on activities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). At the conference, you will get a chance to meet STEM role models and learn more about careers in those fields. You'll get to visit the United States Naval Academy and explore exciting careers such as aerospace engineering, systems engineering, medicine, physical science, naval intelligence, and other possible occupations for civilian and military women in the Navy.
Date: October 13, 2012, 8:30 am - 3:00 pm
Ages: Middle school.
Fee: No cost.
SciLife Fall 2012 - Mission Impossible
October 20, 2012 || Washington DC
Website: SciLife
Address: Ronald Reagan Bldg & International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., Nw, WDC
High school students, parents and educators are invited to attend this annual free, informational, fun-filled event. At SciLife you can get inside info and advice from area leaders in the health and biomedical fields.
Date: October 20, 2012, 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
Ages: High school students, parents, educators.
Fee: No cost. Register here.
Ms. Connection - Women in IT Workshops
Oct 22-25, 2012 || New Castle, DE
Contact: Dr. Nancy McDonald
Phone: 302.356.6825
Email: Dr. McDonald
Address: Wilmington University, Robert C and Dorothy M Peoples Bldg, 320 DuPont Hwy, New Castle DE 19720
Wilmington University in New Castle DE will be offering four free workshops to encourage young women to study information technology. These workshops were developed in 2011 through a grant from the National Center for Women in Technology and Microsoft Research. The workshops are intended for both young women in high school considering college and adult women thinking about entering or returning to college.
Each four-hour workshop is on a different topic and will be offered in two-hour segments on consecutive days:
- You Tell IT, Girl! - introduction to webpage design - Oct 22-23, 6-8 pm
- Make IT Reel - introduction to digital filmmaking & editing - Oct 22-23, 6-8 pm
- IT's Game On! - introduction to game design and development, Oct 24-25, 6-8 pm
- You Design IT - introduction to multimedia design - Oct 24-25, 6-8 pm
Date: Oct 22 - 25, 2012
Age: High school girls or adult women entering/returning to college.
Fee: No cost. To register for one or more workshop, click here.
UMBC STEM Scholars Preview Days
October & November 2012 || Baltimore, MD
Website: STEM Scholars Program
Address: College of Engineering and Information Technology, 1000 Hilltop Circle, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250
If you are a high-achieving, goal-oriented high school senior interested in majoring the Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) fields in college, we invite you to join us for this exclusive UMBC experience! STEM Scholars Preview Day opens the doors of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and of the CWIT, Meyerhoff, and Sherman Scholars Programs in a unique way.
At STEM Scholars Preview Days...
- hear from current Scholars about the UMBC student experience!
- experience the engaging UMBC classroom!
- learn more about UMBC admissions and scholarships & financial aid opportunities!
- discover what it takes to be an outstanding applicant for the STEM Scholars Programs, and get exclusive advice!
- tour UMBC's beautiful campus!
Dates: Fall 2012:
- Friday, October 26, 2012 from 8:30am-2:00pm (includes class visit; optional tour at 2pm)
- Monday, November 12, 2012 from 8:30am-2:00pm (includes class visit; optional tour at 2pm)
- Monday, November 19, 2012 from 4:00-7:00pm (no class visit; optional dinner with Scholars at 7pm)
Age: High School seniors, registration information see website above.
Fee: No Cost.
Ready Set Design!
November 3, 2012 || Baltimore, MD
Email: Ready Set Design
Website: Ready Set Design!
Address: The Glass Pavillion, Levering Hall, Johns Hopkins University - Homewood Campus
This year's theme is - Urban Planning. Students will learn how engineers overcome obstacles and solve problems related to developing the city you live in.
In each session the girls will first learn about the engineering design process and about the theme of that session's activities. Then, the students will split into groups to work on the group design projects. Each group will design a device to perform a specific task related to the theme of the session. Creativity is encouraged - every idea is worth exploring!
Girls will also have the opportunity to interact with Johns Hopkins engineering students, as well as to meet local women who have found success and fulfillment in exciting engineering careers.
Financial support for this program is provided by the Center for Social Concern at Johns Hopkins University.
Date: November 3, 2012, 10 am - 1 pm
Ages: Middle school grades 6-8
Fee: No cost.
KEYs to Empowering Youth @ UMD
November 10, 2012 || College Park, MD
Contact: Elizabeth Remmers Phone: 301-405-0315
Email: Elizabeth Remmers Website: KEYs
Address: 1131 Glenn L. Martin Hall, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 This science and technology mentoring program for 11-13 year old girls is designed to provide them with the opportunity to meet and work with women studying and working in science and engineering. The KEYs program provides interactive, hands-on activities that stress the importance of engineering, science and technology and their impact on society.
Date: November 10, 2012, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Ages: Girls ages 11-13 Fees: $20 upon acceptance into the program.
Women in Engineering (WIE) DREAM Conference
February 23, 2013 || College Park, MD
Contact: Bria McElroy Phone: 301-405-3283 Website: DREAM
Email: Bria McElroy
Address: 1131 Glenn L. Martin Hall, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 Gender diversity in the field of engineering continues to draw national attention. Since 1996, the United States has seen a decreasing number of women enrolling as first-year students in engineering. In the Clark School, we are working hard to reverse that trend. We jumped from a class of 16.5% women in 2005 to more than 20% women now. Our goal is to reach 30% in five years. Programs like the WIE DREAM Conference help by showing students that engineering is not only an exciting career, but also one that is critical to improving our society and lives around the world. Date: February 23, 2013, 9:00 am - 2:30 pm Ages: High school and community college students Fees: There is no cost associated with this program.
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Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming STEM Conferences and Webinars
TEEAM 45th Annual Fall Conference
October 19, 2012 || Catonsville, MD
Theme: Grades k-12: Getting Ready for the T & E STEM
Email:
Website: TEEAM
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