|
Leadership
Team
Meet
the Leadership Team
of
the Mid-Atlantic Girls Collaborative
Zalenda
CyrilleManager,
Lockheed Martin
Operations Director and
Financial Director, IT'S TIME
Brigid
Howe
Manager
of Program Services
Girl Scout Council of the
Nation's Capital
Megan
Kelly
Program
Specialist
Girl Scout Council of the Nation's
Capital
Bria
McElroy
Assistant
Director, Women in Engineering
University of
Maryland
Anita
O'Neill
K-12 Science and
Engineering Supervisor
Montgomery County Public
Schools
Robin Berk
Seitz,
PhD
Instructional Game Designer, Exceptional
Software Strategies
Paige Smith
,
PhD
Director,
Women in Engineering
University of Maryland
Director, MAGiC
Elizabeth
Vandenburg
Freelance Consultant
AAUW
Regional Liaison
N.
Syrek
Newsletter
Editor
MAGiC _________________________
|
|
NGCP
Webinar:
Making Programs More Inclusive
and Accessible for Youth with
Disabilities.
September
28, 2011
1:00
p.m. EST
This
webcast will provide an overview of various
disabilities and strategies for enabling youth
with disabilities to fully participate in your
programs. Collaborations are key in making this
happen easily and effectively. Exemplary programs
and resources will be highlighted. This webcast is
a collaboration between the National Girls
Collaborative Project and the Computer Science
Collaboration Project. Register for this
webinar.
________________________ |
|
Dot Diva 's
mission is to create an exciting and positive
image of computing for high school girls. Our
nationwide survey revealed that not only do the
majority of girls think of computing as "boring"
and "hard," but they believe it fails to deliver
two crucial benefits: "working with others" and
"making a difference in other people's lives." Our
ultimate goal is to transform this negative
perception. Read a summary of our research,
New Image for
Computing. Visit Resources for
free print materials (flyer, posters and
more).
________________________ |
The
Day of the Girl
September
22, 2011
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
things that really matter 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.
We
are asking President Barack Obama to declare
September 22, 2011 as the National Day of the
Girl. _____________________________ |
Maryland
Women's Heritage Center
Exploration and
Discoveries: Maryland Women in
STEM
The Maryland Women's Heritage
Center is developing a display on Explorations
and Discoveries: Maryland Women in Science
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics,
which will open in November. The Heritage Center,
which opened last year, is the first state-based
women's history museum and leadership center in
the nation, and it features the Maryland Women's
Hall of Fame, an exhibit honoring Maryland's
"Unsung Heroines" and a timeline display, which
will focus on STEM for the coming year. The
display will highlight Maryland women in
STEM of the past and present in a wide range
of fields including agricultural sciences, earth
sciences, health care and medicine, biological
sciences, computer science and technology,
mathematics, astronomy, and
space exploration. The Women of Goddard
(NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) will have a
special display and booklet celebrating the varied
contributions that they have made and are making.
There will also be a tribute to young girls
leading the way to the future, with images of
girls around the state participating in STEM
activities. Many STEM-related
organizations have contributed to the
development of the display.
For more
information, visit the Maryland Women's Heritage
Center website or contact Linda
Shevitz. __________________________ |
|
The
One Stop Shop for STEM
Education
STEMconnector will
serve as a critical network to link those
advocating science, technology, engineering, and
math (STEM) education across disciplines and
distances. Officially launching November 2011, the
website allows key players to discover partners
within STEM education across the country, to
provide contact points, and to create both
national and multi-national platforms to share and
network STEM strategies and activities.
The first conference
call held on September 9th called
Women and Girls in STEM
is archived here. __________________________ |
|
Youth
Service America: STEMester of Service
Grants
Funded by Learn and Serve
America, a program of the Corporation for National
and Community Service, STEMester of Service
incorporates YSA's Semester of Service framework
to engage educators and students in addressing
critical environmental and disaster preparedness
needs and connecting them to STEM (science,
technology, engineering, and math)
curricula.
YSA
is seeking middle schools with large populations
of disadvantaged youth; STEM schools must be
located in one of the 19 states with highest
dropout rates (includes Delaware, District of
Columbia). Afterschool programs with strong
academic connections that engage middle school
students are also eligible.
The $5,000 grant supports teachers
and afterschool program facilitators as they
engage local partners and guide students in
addressing local needs through planning and
implementing sustainable service projects that
launch on Martin Luther King, Jr Day of Service
(January 16, 2012) and culminate on Global Youth
Service Day (April 20-22, 2012). Click here
for more
information.
__________________________ |
|
STEM
Day 2011 at MODSIM World Conference &
Expo
STEM Day 2011 is designed for students
and teachers alike to engage and explore the
dynamic world of technology and modeling and
simulation. STEM Day is October 13th from 9:45am
to 1pm at the Virginia Beach Convention
Center. For
more information about STEM Day and to register
click here.
__________________________ |
|
Grace
Hopper Celebration
of Women in
Computing
Conference
Nov 9-12, 2011
THEME:
"WHAT IF...?
Portland,
Oregon
The
Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing is
a series of conferences designed to bring the
research and career interests of women in
computing to the forefront. Leading researchers
present their current work, while special sessions
focus on the role of women in today's technology
fields, including computer science, information
technology, research and engineering.
To visit the GHC
2011 website click here.
_____________________ |
|
2nd Annual USA
Science and Engineering Festival
Volunteer
Meeting October 30, 2011
Sign
up now for the next outreach volunteer team
meeting:
October
30, 2 - 4PM
at
K & L Gates
1601
K St., NW, WDC.
Learn
about the festival, network with other volunteers
and pick-up Festival materials to distribute.
Receive a free 2012 Festival t-shirt when you pick
up materials.
Go
to the USASEF meetup page for more
information or to
register.
________________________ |
Quick
Links
Click
the links below to learn more about us and our
partner organizations.
Re-Launch
Coming Soon!
| |
|
Message
from the Directors
MAGiC
Annual Conference is almost
here!
The
annual conference will be held Saturday,
S eptember
24, 2011 from 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM at the
Microsoft Innovation & Technology Conference
Center in Reston, Virginia and will feature
successful MAGiC mini-grantees. We
will
discuss their promising practices and how to
build effective collaborations. The
keynote speaker will be Ms. Zipporah
Miller from the National
Science Teachers Association. There will also be
plenty of opportunities for networking. Pre-registration is
required. View the Conference
schedule.
Also
we would like you to note that the next NGCP
Collaboration Conference, April 25-27,
2012, will coincide with
the Second Annual USA Science and Engineering
Festival held at the
Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC
April 27-29, 2012.
Paige
Smith & Elizabeth
Vandenburg |
 |
| ECBC Research Biologist
Lalena Wallace engages Edgewood Middle School
seventh-grade girls in the application of tools
and techniques used in a real-world laboratory
setting framed as ˜Science Minute to Win it"
challenges. |
ECBC Engages Local
Girls in STEM Discovery, Innovation
Looking
to involve local middle school girls in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM),
employees from the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical
Biological Center (ECBC) supported Project DREAM
Work's Career Discovery Day for Girls at Harford
Community College on June
3rd.
In
collaboration with Project DREAM Work, a middle
school initiative of Harford Community College,
ECBC immersed nearly 40 seventh-grade girls from
Edgewood Middle School into a real-world STEM
career discovery.
"The
Center's community and educational outreach
program focuses on enriching local students'
STEM exposure by complementing their traditional
lessons with the application of science and
engineering concepts," said Mary Doak, the
Center's Community and Educational Outreach
Program Manager. "In an effort to excite female
students about the pursuit of STEM career
pathways, we afforded them the opportunity to
participate in a series of hands-on experiences
today.
ECBC
scientists and engineers led three different
interactive workshops that included 'A Berry
Full of DNA: The Science Inside a Strawberry',
'What Color is Exothermicity?' and 'Science
Minute to Win it'.
Research
Microbiologist Lauren McNew gave each student
her own work station and engaged them in the
scientific process of extracting DNA from
strawberries. Together, they pulverized
strawberries in plastic zip-lock bags to expose
their cells, added an extraction buffer and
filtered out the strawberry slurry to remove
large clumps. Mixing ethanol to the solution
caused the DNA to precipitate from the solution,
as DNA is not soluble in ethanol. Due to
strawberries being octoploid - exhibiting eight
sets of genes in each cell - their genetic
material becomes visible to the human eye after
its extraction.
"Because
strawberries have so many more DNA copies per
cell than humans, we can see them without any
special instrumentation," McNew stated after the
experiment. "We just took loads of DNA and put
it in a tube."
"You
have extracted the same type of DNA that is in
your body" she added.
Providing
students with a rainbow of chemistry and physics
lessons, Chief of the Pyrotechnics Branch Joe
Domanico with Chemical Engineers Giancarlo
Divacchi and Amee LaBonte presented a colorful
introduction into organic chemistry and
pyrotechnics. They demonstrated the use of white
light and color-emitting compounds to enhance
military applications.
"Multi-colored
smoke belongs to one of the technologies we
develop to protect the Warfighter through
camouflaging and signaling" Domanico said. "The
application of energy release and temperature
control also plays a crucial role in our every
day efforts to equip U.S. Forces with the tools
they need to keep the Nation safe."
Research
Biologist Lalena Wallace offered the group of
girls a pedagogically compelling activity based
on the popular television game show 'Minute to
Win it,' teaching them about the techniques and
tools used in a microbiology and molecular
biology laboratory.
|
|
ECBC
Research Biologist Lalena Wallace engages
Edgewood Middle School seventh-grade girls in
the application of tools and techniques used in
a real-world laboratory setting framed as
'Science Minute to Win it'
challenges. |
Teams
of two competed against each other while
executing a series of challenges, related to
tasks typically performed in a laboratory
setting.
"It
was great to be a part of such a positive
program," Wallace said. "I was excited to see
the girls' enthusiasm and really hope that some
of them leave today with aspirations of future
STEM careers."
"That
would mean that we have accomplished our mission
here" she passionately added.
McNew,
Wallace and Teri Rice, deputy for operations in
the Northeast region at Sabre Systems, Inc., who
are also members of the Women in Defense
Mid-Atlantic Chapter,
participated
in a panel discussion with the same group of
Edgewood Middle School students. Aiming to
invigorate local middle school girls about the
rewarding and fulfilling nature of STEM careers,
this cadre of female professionals shared some
of their professional experiences and engaged
the young audience in topics pertaining to their
ongoing career discovery.
This
event was designed to support and prepare local
girls for their future career decision-making
process and allowed them to participate in fun
and exciting STEM activities.
"The
girls seemed to really enjoy the workshops and
presentations, gained insight into careers, and
received important information to consider for
high school and their future," said Project
DREAM Work Program Director Mindy
Costanzo-Romero.
Additionally,
the Mid Atlantic chapter of WID donated $500 to
a scholarship to Project DREAM Work to
support the creation of Girls Discovery
Days at Harford Community
College.
If you
would like more information on STEM outreach
programs at ECBC, please contact Mary
Doak, ECBC
Community and Education Outreach Program
Manager.
|
Support
for the GEMS Club Grows
Last
year, Dogwood Elementary School in Reston,
Virginia put in for a National Girls
Collaborative Project mini grant to support and
expand the GEMS, Girls Excelling in Math and
Science, Club at our school. We received a $1000
grant. It proved to be such an added bonus to
help us support field trips and other
activities. We were able to increase our
enrollment from 25 to 70 girls and take them to
the USA Science and Engineering Festival in DC
and to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science
and Technology's Techstravaganza. After
benefiting from these funds, we wanted other
GEMS Clubs in our county to have the same
opportunities, so we wrote a proposal for a
Dominion Education Grant for $10,000 to affect
10 GEMS Clubs in Fairfax County.
The
goal was to provide 10 clubs with $1000 each:
$500 for field trips, $200 for instructional
materials, $75 to purchase a unit of study, and
two days of sub coverage so that each club
advisor could attend two training days. We made
sure to write the proposal clearly and concisely
but also to let the passion we feel for GEMS and
girls' equity shine through. It was important to
communicate that factor in the proposal.
Dominion
contacted us and said they were interested in
the proposal. They were ready to grant us
$5,000. While not as much as we wanted, it is a
stepping stone in furthering the impact of the
GEMS Club across our large county. We would
reach more girls. So we are funding five schools
with $1000 each to meet the same goals stated
above. The plan is to continue seeking funds for
the following years, so that more clubs can be
supported in a way that will build a dynamic
program for girls who dream they can be more.
With a bit of money, a willing spirit, a little
imagination and a lot of drive we can change the
face of science, technology, engineering, and
math and open doors for girls like never
before.
If
you would like more information about GEMS
Clubs, please email Linda
Martin. |
WOW!
That's Engineering! 
The
Society of Women Engineers (SWE) had a DC Metro
Area stop on their national "Wow! That's
Engineering!" tour. The event took place at the
Walter E. Washington Convention Center on
Saturday, September 10, 2011 and was designed to
encourage young women to become more interested
in careers in engineering and technology.
The
"Wow! That's
Engineering!®" event
honors the achievements of women and girls as
they develop and discover the future through
technology with events around the country which
take place throughout the year. The DC Metro
event had 213 sixth through ninth grade females
learn about engineering through hands on
activities, such has Puff Mobile, Helping Hand,
Candy Safe, Build a Roller Coater, and Gum Drop
Bridge. A concurrent event was held for parents
and educators to gain a better understanding on
how to guide students to choose engineering
degrees. The Baltimore Washington Section of SWE
had 87 professional, collegiate, and high school
students, all with different engineering
degrees, who served as volunteers and ran the
entire event.
"We
are thrilled to be a part of such an important
movement: American culture has traditionally
misled young girls to believe that they cannot
excel in high-technology professions, and as a
result, they often hold negative perceptions of
engineering careers" said Natalie Bryner,
Society of Women Engineers. "We look forward to
helping to change that perception in the DC
Metro Area as well as across the country."
Contact
Natalie Bryner,
Vice President of Outreach, Baltimore Washington
Section - SWE for more
information. |
Sally
Ride Science Festival at GMU Cultivates Young
Women Scientists 
With
a mission to bring some "girl power" to science
and math, the Sally Ride
Science Festival returned to George
Mason University on Saturday, September 17th.
The
festival, geared towards young women in grades
five through eight, features 20 hands-on
workshops, guest speakers and a street fair
complete with food, 25 exhibit booths and music.
The keynote speaker was former NASA astronaut
Pam Melroy, who in 2007 became the second woman
to command a Space Shuttle mission.
Many
Mason science faculty and graduate students will
host the workshops and represent their research
projects and expertise at the festival, which is
sponsored by Sally Ride Science and the Northrop
Grumman Foundation.
The
Sally Ride Science
Festival has been hosted several
times at Mason since 2002, and geography and
earth science Professor Sheryl Beach says each
year attracts more excited students. At last
Saturday's event 450 girls, 150 parents and 30
volunteers made the event a success.
"I
love seeing the students run around with
enthusiasm in their eyes," she says. "The
festival emphasizes women scientists and
presenters, hoping to provide these girls with
role models and show that a career in science is
not only possible, but
exciting."
The
workshops span a wide variety
of science fields. Among those with Mason
connections are
- Kim de Mutsert from the Smithsonian-Mason
Global Conservation Studies will conduct a
workshop on identifying fish and aquatic
invertebrates.
- Geography Mason graduate students Nancy
Perry and Mark Plummer will conduct a fun
program on how to find "hidden treasures" using
GPS.
- Astronomy professor Harold Geller will bring
students to Mason's brand-new astronomical
observatory for a workshop on the
stars.
"The
festival targets middle school girls because
studies show that this is the time when these
students make decisions about their future
careers, and also at the same time become
frustrated and drop out of science and math
courses," says Beach. "We really hope to reach
out to this critical age group and show them how
fun and interesting these areas can
be."
Submited
by Tara Laskowski. Email Dr. Sheryl Beach for
more
information. |
Mark
Your Calendar: Upcoming STEM Events Across
the Region
Girl
Scout Engineering Saturday
October
8, 2011 || University of Maryland, College
Park
Contact:
Elizabeth Remmers
Phone:
301.405.0315
Email:
eremmers@umd.edu
Website:
GS Engineering
Saturday
Address:
1131 Glenn L. Martin Hall
Girl
Scout Engineering Saturday (GSES) is a program
for local Girl Scout troops in Maryland and the
Washington metropolitan area. Participants
engage in fun, hands-on activities and earn the
Building a Better Future Project patch. This
program is offered twice a year in October and
February. The goals of the program are to
introduce young women to professional career
options in engineering and science through
engineering related activities and to provide
university students with the opportunity to
enhance their communication and leadership
skills through the development and
implementation of activities.
Dates:
Online registration ends September 21, 2011.
Event takes place October 8, 2011 from
9AM-1:30PM.
Ages:
Cadettes and Seniors (grades 6-12)
Fees:
$10
Girls
in Science Camp In
October
8-9, 2011 || Richmond VA
Contact:
Karen McKenzie
Phone:
804.864.1400
Website: Science Museum of
Virginia
Address:
2500 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA
23220
Team
up with other middle school girls, their mothers
and members of the Society of Women Engineers
for a weekend adventure in engineering. See if
you can build a bridge with simple household
materials that will hold 20 pounds of weight!
Explore the Science Museum of Virginia after
hours. Head on down to the Science Unplugged
exhibit and build a bridge you can walk on.
Watch a giant screen film in the IMAX®DOME.
Check out our traveling exhibit "Great Balls of
Fire" and find out where comets, asteroids and
meteorites come from.
Girls
in Science is sponsored by DuPont,
the Society of Women Engineers and the Science
Museum of Virginia.
Girls
in Science is open to middle school
girls, grades 6-8, accompanied by adult
chaperones. Bring your sleeping bag. Breakfast
and a snack are provided. Pre-registration is
required. For every four girls, one adult
chaperone is required.
Dates:
Saturday October 8, 6:30pm - Sunday October 9,
9:00am
Ages:
Grades 6-8
Fees:
$10/person.
GIT
Fall Mentor Protege Program
October
and November 2011 || Northern
VA
Contact:
Kelly Moore
Phone:
703.946.1264
Email:
kmoore@att.net
Website: GIT
Girls
in Technology (GIT) is now
accepting applications for the upcoming Fall
mentoring program starting in October 2011. GIT
invites high school girls with interests in
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
to participate in the GIT Mentor-Protégé
Program. Our unique program offers area high
school girls the opportunity to obtain guidance
from experienced mentors in STEM fields, develop
new relationships and experience dynamic
personal growth through interaction with
mentors, protégés and speakers.
The
program consists of three 2-hour sessions over
two months. Each session includes networking, a
light meal, a presentation or panel discussion
with industry leaders, and an hour of small
group mentoring with technology professionals
from Symantec (our Fall Program Host and
Underwriter) and WIT.
Schedule:
-
Orientation Session - October 12, 2011 6:00 PM -
8:00 PM
- Session 1 - October 19, 2011
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
STEM Careers and What They
Look Like
- Session 2 - November 2,
2011 from 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Math &
Science - panel discussion
-
Session 3 - November 16, 2011 from 6:00 PM -
8:30 PM
Technology & Engineering - panel
discussion
The
typical agenda for each session:
6:00 - 6:30
pm: Greetings/Sign
in/Refreshments/Networking
6:30 - 6:45 pm:
Welcome and Introduction of Host/Underwriter
6:45 - 7:30 pm: Guest Speaker
7:30 -
8:30 pm: One-on-One
Mentoring
Encourage
the high school girls in your house,
neighborhood or circle to apply for this
program. Applications are due on Friday,
September 30, 2011. Location
TBD.
Dates:
Ages: Grades 6-8
Fee:
Free.
Louise's
Angels Kick-Off Meeting
October
15, 2011 || Washington DC
Contact:
Angela Clayton
Phone:
202.643.5752
Email:
info@LouisesAngels.org
Website: Louise's
Angels
Address:
La Casa Community Center, 3166 Mount Pleasant
Street, NW, WDC 20010
Louise's
Angels is seeking young women in grades 6-12 to
come out for their 2011-2012 Kick-Off Meeting on
Saturday, October 15, 2011. The meeting will be
at La Casa Community Center from 12-3PM. There
will be light refreshments, games, prizes,
challenging STEM activities, and on-site
registration ($25) to join our
organization.
Louise's
Angels is a 501(c)(3) organization that works
with girls in the greater Washington, DC
metropolitan area, to increase awareness about
the opportunities that are available within
engineering by providing hands-on
experiences.
Dates:
Saturday, October 15, 2011, Noon -
3:00pm
Ages:
Girls, grades 6-12.
Fees:
$25.
SciLife
Fall 2011 Event
October
15, 2011 || Washington DC
Contact:
C. Moore
Phone:
301.402.2470
Email:
moorec@mail.nih.com
Website: SciLife
Address:
Trinity Washington University,125 Michigan Ave,
NE WDC 20017
SciLife
Fall 2011 is a career and college planning
event for high school students who are
interested in the health and biomedical
sciences. At this event, students can
learn about the college submissions process, get
tips from college professors, and figure out how
to make the jump from high school to college.
Join in a panel discussion with current college
students and get an inside look at life on
campus. Pre-registration is required.
Dates:
October 15, 2011 8:30am - 3:15pm
Ages:
Grades 9-12; parents, educators
Fees:
Free.
Career
Conference - A Spotlight in STEM and Other
Careers
October
15, 2011 || Fairfax, VA
Contact:
Danielle Blunt
Phone:
571.224.4287
Email:
info@girlsinspiredinc.org
Website: Girls
Inspired
Address:
Hilton Garden Inn, 3950 Fair Ridge Drive,
Fairfax, VA 22033
Girls
Inspired and Ready to Lead (GIRL), Inc.'s
mission is to mentor and empower teen girls to
excel in academics, develop leadership skills,
engage In community service, develop a positive
self-image and live a healthy lifestyle. At the
career conference girls can meet professionals
in the fields of Science, Technology,
Engineering, & Math from companies
and colleges, such as BAE Systems, ExxonMobil,
Accenture, Department of the Navy, DISA,
National Institute of Health, U.S. Fish &
Wildlife, the U.S. Coast Guard, George Mason
University College of Science, & University
of Maryland Women in Engineering
Program!
·
Attend interactive
sessions!
·
Gain education and job requirements as well as
scholarship & internship
information!
·
Attend breakout sessions with career
professionals including, a Doctor, Nurse,
Lawyer, Graphic Design Artist, Public Relations
Specialist, Financial Advisor, Educator
and more!
·
Attend a special session for parents
on how to interest girls in science and
math, how to find summer programs, and how to
prepare for college featuring the
Admissions Director at Thomas Jefferson
High School for Science & Technology,
an educational consultant,
and a representative from the U.S. Coast Guard!
This
conference is FREE and lunch will be
provided! Register online by October 8,
2011
Dates:
October 15, 2011
10:00am - 2:30pm
Ages:
Girls Grades 6-12; parents.
Fees:
Free. Lunch provided for girls. $16/parent
attending a session and lunch.
Computer Mania Day
October
22, 2011 || College Park, MD
Contact:
Kimberly Brown
Phone:
443-543-5572
Email:
info@globaloutcomes.org
Website: Computer Mania
Day
Address:
Skinner Building, UMD,
College Park, MD
Global
Outcomes, Inc. (GO) will sponsor
Computer Mania
Day to provide a half day of technology-related
activities geared for 6th - 8th grade girls and
their parents. While boys are welcome, the focus
is on girls because of their continuing
under-participation in technology classes and
careers. This program is designed to provide a
broad-based introduction to technology
applications to different careers. Up to 500
students will be gathered in small groups of no
more than 30, and the groups will rotate between
technology demonstration stations. At each
station, the students will learn about the
application of technology to the world of work
through fun and interactive activities. An adult
program will complement the day by providing a
variety of breakout sessions that will allow
parents and teachers to learn more on special
topics such as cyber safety, hot technologies,
and opportunities for girls in IT. Free lunches
will be provided for the students; adults can
purchase a lunch or bring their
own.
Dates:
October 22, 2011 9:00am - 2:00pm
Ages:
Girls, grades 6-8; parents.
Fees:
Free. | |
| |
