Annual Conference

2010 Annual Conference

On April 30, 2010, The Florida Girls Collaborative Project partnered with the UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science to jointly host the Florida Engineering Education Conference for over 160 participants. Some highlights included:

• Morning panelists featured K–12 STEM teachers actively integrating engineering activities in the classroom, NASA, Expanding Your Horizons, MOSI, Northrop Gruman, Oracle Corporation, Girl Scouts and more.
• Presentation about the Florida Girls Collaborative Project goals and activities.
• The National Center for Women Information Technology presented information on the need for gender equity in IT and honored young high school women with the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing.
• Afternoon breakout workshops included hands-on learning and research based program activities from NASA, FIRST Lego League, Department of Defense, and UCF’s Women’s Research Center.

This free conference was generously supported by: University of Central Florida's College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS), Florida Engineering Foundation, the Florida Space Grant Consortium, Harris Corporation, the Florida Girls Collaborative Project, the National Center for Women and Information Technology, and other partners. Full details can be found at: http://partner.cecs.ucf.edu/FEE/2010/

2008 Annual Conference
On Oct. 10, 2008 more than 70 people from across the state attended the Florida Girls Collaborative Project Annual Conference at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando.

Workshops included Building a Successful STEM Program, Demystifying STEM and Galactic Girls (a successful mini-grant model), and more. The keynote speaker was Terri Walker-Spoonhur, vice president/operations manager of Analysis, Simulations, Systems Engineering & Training (ASSET) Business Unit for Science Actions into Solutions (SAIC), one of the largest tech employers in Central Florida. Terri supervises more than 5,000 engineers who build, design and analyze systems for the Department of Defense. In addition to the keynote speaker, participants heard from a panel of UCF staff, including Talat Rahman, chair, physics; Cherie Geiger, environmental chemistry; Parveen Wahid, electrical engineering; and Linda Walters, marine biology. During the discussion, the panelists were frank about their experiences as women in a male-dominated workplace, but all agreed that women who go into to the sciences and stay involved can create the tipping point. Surprisingly, out of all the female professors UCF employs in STEM, Cherie Geiger is the only tenured employee. She spoke to the need of "plugging the leaky pipeline" and noted that many women begin a career in the field and then drop out.

Conference Agenda

8:00 – 9:00 AM	Registration Continental Breakfast Expo Area Viewing
9:00 - 9:30 AM	Keynote Speaker Terri Walker-Spoonhour SAIC, Vice President Operations Manager for Analysis, Simulations, Systems Engineering & Training Business Unit
9:30 – 9:50 AM	Opening Remarks Introduction of Florida Girls Collaborative Project
9:50-10:00 AM	Speed Networking
10:00-10:40 AM	Panel: “Why is female involvement in STEM important to Florida’s future?”
10:40-11:10 AM	Collaborations and Partnerships (Interactive)
11:10 AM-12:00 PM	Lunch Expo Area Viewing
12:00-12:45 PM	Breakout Sessions Demystifying STEM Galactic Girls Incorporating Evaluation into your Program Engaging girls using the Mass Media Approach Build a successful STEM Program
12:50-1:35 PM	Breakout Sessions
1:40 – 2:25 PM	Breakout Sessions
2:30– 3:00 PM	Program Directory Mini-grant Funding Conference Evaluation

Conference Presentations

• Introduction of NGCP and Need in FL
  Amy Foster
  Project Director
  Florida Girls Collaborative Project
  
  What is the NGCP, what are its goals, and how does it match the need in Florida to get more girls involved in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers?
• Building a Successful STEM Program
  Suzi Harris
  Program Marketing Manager
  Girl Scouts of Citrus Council
  
  Learn about the journey of one organization as it has built a successful STEM outreach program from the ground up. With over 100 active volunteers, they must be doing something right! Discover how training, girl facilitators, and prepared program kits make delivering quality STEM programs foolproof.
• Collaboration & Partnerships
  Rebecca Amy
  Leadership Team Member
  Florida Girls Collaborative Project
  
  Learn about creating successful collaborative relationships, networking, coordination, and overcoming collaboration and partnership challenges.
  
• NGCP Program Directory and Mini-Grant Application
  Jennifer McDaniel
  AAUW Regional Liaison
  Florida Girls Collaborative Project
  
  Learn how to join the NGCP Program Directory and apply for a Mini-Grant.
• Prove Your Programs are Really Making a Difference
  Monika Martin
  Outcomes Research Manager and Grant Coordinator
  Girl Scouts of West Central Florida
  
  Evaluation doesn’t have to be scary!! During this workshop you will gain valuable insights on incorporating participatory evaluation into your programs. Key topics include: why qualitative and quantitative analysis is important, conducting focus groups, and creating surveys.
• Use of the Mass Media Approach to Engaging Girls in STEM
  Dr. Leslie Sue Lieberman, Ph.D.
  Director of Women’s Research Center
  University of Central Florida
  
  Learn about an exciting new approach to engaging girls in STEM! Did you know that over 400 million dollars is spent annually on messages to promote public understanding of engineering, with marginal impact? Learn about the E-Girl project, which will address the need for women in engineering by engaging girls in a weekly TV show similar to CSI.
  
  

2007 Kick-Off Conference
Champions Board Meeting and Kick-Off Conference- An Overwhelming Success!
On November 8th and 9th, 2007, the Florida Girls Collaborative Project (FGCP) and Girls Get It! (GGIT!) held our first Board of Champions meeting and Kick-Off Conference in Tampa, Florida at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI).

The Champions Board meeting marked the beginning of many face-to-face interactions between esteemed board members who include private industry, k-20 education officials and community based organizations from across the state of Florida. Items discussed included a session on how the program directory and mini-grants work for those involved and how they would be dispersed, a session on strategic planning and goals for the future of the project, and a session on our subcommittees.

The Kick-Off Conference was an entire day filled with speakers and break-out sessions to go over the program directory, mini-grants, current Florida data, and tips on recruitment and outreach. Many community based organizations from the Tampa and St. Petersburg area displayed their goods to showcase their program in order to connect with others. The panel was filled with respected participants from organizations such as NASA, Raytheon, Cisco, Florida Community College of Jacksonville, and the Girl Scouts.

Overall, the entire event was a complete success! We will also host many other events in cities across Florida in the near future.