February 2011

It is snowing again in Murfreesboro. I was going to write about numbers for this newsletter so I wonder how much snow we have received in Tennessee so far? Does anyone have the answer?

The numbers that I do want to share with you are the following:

• The 15th MTSU EYH is being planned for fall 2011 as well as the 4th West Tennessee EYH on the University of Memphis campus
• The 14th MTSU National Women's History Month Woman in Science Invited Lecture is being held on February 24.  See below for details.
• This is the International Year of Chemistry and the 100th anniversary of Marie Curie receiving the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. You hear about chemistry because I am a chemist!
• MTSU is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
• The first annual conference for the GRITS Collaborative Project is being planned for fall 2011.
• Hershey produces about 365 million pounds of chocolate per year and the "average" American eats 11 pounds of chocolate per year.  I am probably not an "average" American.
• In 2008, 18.5 % of the bachelor's degrees in engineering, were awarded to women.

Watch for a special GRITS CP newsletter later this month which will have a focus on women in engineering. 

Keep warm! Eat chocolate!
  

Judith

Dr. Marinda Wu: 2011 MTSU NWHM Woman in Science Invited Lecturer

Dr.Marinda Wu, a strong advocate for girls and women in STEM, is our 2011 NWHM Woman in Science Invited Lecturer. Dr. Marinda Li Wu will be sharing some of her 30-plus years of experience in the chemical industry. She will speak on "A Personal and Professional Journey into the 21st Century" during her lecture on Thursday, February 24, starting at 7 PM in Wiser-Patten Science Hall room 102. The MTSU community and general public are invited.

"I share my story of how destiny and determination impacted where I am today," said Wu, who was born in Pasadena, Calif., instead of Beijing, China, because of the Korean War. "I once dreamed of becoming a scientist or ambassador. "Today as an American Chemical Society Board member, I am an 'ambassador' advocating for science and education. Challenges as an Asian American woman strengthened my leadership skills." Join us and hear her inspiring story.

For more information , contact Judith Iriarte-Gross at 615.904.8253 or at jiriarte@mtsu.edu.

The Satellite and Webcasting Center of Middle Tennessee State University offers live enrichment programs for students and professional development workshops for educators throughout the academic year. On February 22, 2011 from 9 AM to 10 AM (CST)  a student enrichment program is being offered by the WISTEM Center on women in engineering. Our program is called "WISE Women Engineer the Future." A panel of women engineers from middle Tennessee will discuss how they navigated their career path to a degree and a fulfilling career in engineering. They will also describe what attracted them to a career in engineering and why they find their career so satisfying. The panelists will answer questions from the live and remote audience. For further information about the student enrichment program, contact Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross at jiriarte@mtsu.edu.

For information about other Spring 2011 programs for students and educators, go to the Satellite and Webcasting Center's Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~itsc.