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From the Director... |
The
first day of fall was last week, September 21. Leaves are
changing colors and now that the rain has stopped, the air is
cooler. To our students of all ages, fall is a time to get back
into the classroom. To the GRITS Collaborative, this fall is the
time for two outstanding events, Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) in
Science and Math and the GRITS Collaborative Forum.
I had
the pleasure of speaking to parents at the West Tennessee EYH this past
weekend. The parents literally soaked (it was raining in Memphis)
up the information provided to them by University of Memphis Student
Affairs representatives about grades, applications, living on campus
and financial aid. My presentation was on the importance of
parents in encouraging their daughters to explore STEM education and
careers. Parents also asked questions about other activities for
their daughters. One woman mentioned that her daughter loved art
and did not know how to connect art to STEM. This was an easy one
for me: pigments and dyes, light, reflection and refraction, and so
on. We also discussed the value of having role models in STEM
fields who are Tennesseans and who "look" just like the girls who are
asking the questions. In other words, celebrate diversity in
STEM.
The MTSU EYH is being held on October
31. Please share this information with your network of
Tennesseans who support girls in STEM. Our EYH Web site is
www.mtsu.edu/eyh.
Now let me get back to celebrating
diversity in STEM. The GRITS Collaborative is presenting its
Forum called Celebrating Diversity in STEM on November 6 at the Cools
Springs Marriott. We are collaborating with the Tennessee Science
Teachers Association to present a day of workshops focused on informal
science. Topics of our workshops include after school STEM clubs,
engineering activities, National Chemistry Week hands-on demos and more
information about the National Girls Collaborative Project program
directory and mini-grants. Ruth Woodall, GRITS Champions board member,
is our lead for our forum. A special edition of the GRITS
newsletter with more details about the forum will be sent out by
October 13. We hope to see you at one or both of these GRITS
collaborative events!
Judith Iriarte-Gross
Director, GRITS
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What's going on with GRITS? |
Don't forget that the MTSU EYH is on October 31. Registration is now open at www.mtsu.edu/eyh. Registration will be open until October 12. So please encourage
all young women you know to register for this fantatstic event!
The
GRITS Collaborative Leadership Team and Champions Board had a
successful conference call earlier this week. During the call,
members discussed the review process for the mini-grant
applications. We also discussed ways to encourage more
girl-serving organizations to register their programs in the NGCP
Program Directory. Finally, we discussed planning issues and
details of the second GRITS Collaborative Forum which will be held
during the TSTA Annual Meeting in Franklin, Tennessee.
The
GRITS Collaborative Project has just closed the second round of
mini-grant applications. The GRITS Mini-Grant Team will now work
on reviewing these applications, and applicants will be notified
on November 1 as to whether their project will be funded. The GRITS mini-grant applications will be opened again toward the end
of the year, so stay tuned for more information on those dates.
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Organization of the Month |
The Professional Science Master (PSM) is a new, hybrid degree
sweeping the nation. Middle Tennessee State University has established
its own PSM degree: Master of Science in Professional Science
(MSPS). This two-year degree offers three concentrations
(Biostatistics, Biotechnology, and Healthcare Informatics) and equips
graduates with the ability to enhance the interface between science and
business by providing strong courses which emphasize expertise in both
of these areas. The specialized education offered by the MSPS program
also translates into a positive economic impact for its
graduates.
The Masters of Science in Professional
Science Club at MTSU is intended for MSPS degree-seeking students. In
the MSPS Club, students from all three concentrations come together and
discuss future job prospects, learning opportunities, and student
activities. MSPS students support the GRITS Collaborative Project
by attending events hosted by WISE and by helping with EYH workshops. To learn more about the MSPS club, access
www.mtsu.edu/~camporgs/student.htm and search "Student Organizations"
for "Master of Science in Professional Science Club."
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| MTSU Women In Science and Engineering Fall Events |
October 16-18, 23-25, 29-30
Ghouls at Grassmere, The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
October 31
MTSU Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Math Conference
December 2, 2009
Dr. Richard Zare will be speaking to WISE women regarding graduate school and careers opportunities in STEM.
Monohan Hall 6:00 PM
Please join WISE in celebrating women in science at one of these events! | |
Thank you for staying involved in and promoting the activities of GRITS.
Cacy DeSheles
Assistant Director
Girls Raised In Tennessee Science |
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