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From the Director... |
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Women
have been doing great things for society ever since Eve. Yes,
apples are good for us! However, it has taken thousands of years to
formally recognize the contributions that women have made to
society. In the United States, the history of women was first
formally recognized in the 1980's. Representative Barbara
Mikulski, of my home state of Maryland and Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah,
introduced a resolution in Congress in 1981 beginning a week long
celebration of women in history. In 1987, Congress declared March
as National Women's History Month. However, at the GRITS
Collaborative, we are celebrating Women in Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math (STEM) Month.
I have been asked
several times as to why the stories of women in STEM should be told to
our students. One major reason is that fewer students are
majoring in STEM fields. Without STEM professionals, who will
make the next major breakthrough in cancer research? Who will
explore the solar system? Who will develop the next iPod?
Recruitment, retention, and graduation of women with science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) training are critical
needs in Tennessee and in our nation. The low rate at which women are
entering the STEM pipeline in high school and in college is troubling,
especially since even low-paying jobs require a fundamental knowledge
of STEM subjects. The continuing success of the American
workforce requires the full participation of women in STEM. Where
do women learn about education and careers in STEM? The stories
of women scientists and engineers provide that important first step for
our students when they are planning their future.
Sharing
the history of women role models in STEM provides the impetus needed by
students in K to 12 and beyond to ask questions about careers in
STEM. Most students have heard about Marie Curie. These
same students often do not know that Marie's daughter, Irene
Joliot-Curie was also a Nobel Prize winning chemist. Students do
not know that Gerty Radnitz Cori, the first American woman to win a
Nobel Prize (1947) was told that her husband would be fired if she
worked in his laboratory. Students learn that Watson and Crick,
"discovered" the structure of DNA but are not told about the work of
Rosalind Franklin, whose data were used by them without her
permission. These women scientists had a passion for education
and their research and thus worked around or through
obstacles. Early women in science often were not paid and
were told to work in basement laboratories so they would not distract
the men. If they were part of a husband and wife team, the
husband was thought to be the leader and the wife, the research
assistant. These histories show students how far women in science
have come since Marie Curie's time. We urge you to share the
stories of women in STEM so that we can encourage more young women in
enter and stay in the STEM pipeline.
Judith M. Iriarte-Gross |
| NGCP Program Directory |
The Girls Raised In Tennessee Science (GRITS) Collaborative, a
statewide initiative to encourage girls to pursue careers in science,
technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is inviting you to register
your program in the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) Program
Directory. Teachers, community groups and other organizations committed
to collaborating, informing and motivating girls are encouraged to
register.
The online program directory lists programs and
resources which encourage girls to pursue careers in STEM. The
purpose of the directory is to help organizations and individuals
network, share resources, and collaborate on STEM-related projects for
girls. With the online program directory you can enter a program
for inclusion in the directory, sign up for the e-newsletter listserv,
and search for programs usion various criteria.
In order
to register yourself and/or your program in the NCGP Program Directory,
please visit http://www.ngcproject.org/directory/index.cfm. The
GRITS Collaborative will be opening up Mini-Grants soon. In order
to be eligible for the GRITS Collaborative Mini-Grants, a collaboration
between two programs must be established, and both programs must be
registered in the NGCP Program Directory. For more information,
contact Cacy DeSheles, Assistant Director GRITS, cdd3b@mtsu.edu, or at
615.494.7763.
Cacy DeSheles
Assistant Director |
| Organization Of The Month |
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Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM) education is gaining a lot of attention across the
nation. The STEM Education Center at MTSU serves the state of
Tennessee, and known as the Tennessee Mathematics, Science and Technology Education Center
(TMSTEC). Women mathematicians and scientists have played, and continue
to play an essential role in the leadership and direction of every
project at TMSTEC. TMSTEC also houses the TN NASA Educator
Resource Center providing math and science educational materials and
training for P-16 teachers.
TMSTEC provides numerous workshops,
conferences, standards training sessions, technology training sessions
and professional development opportunities for pre-services teachers,
P-16 teachers and administrators. Just a few of the opportunities
provided for pre-service and in-service teachers include:
· Workshops on Geometry and Algebra
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Workshops on Middle School Math Learning Styles, Middle School
Math and Science
· Middle School Math and Science Teacher Preparation
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Workshops for technology training for science and math teachers
(podcasts to graphic calculators)
· Professional Development programs for state mandated teacher training
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Research and professional development project involving High School
Biology, Physics and Math teachers
Since the creation of the Center in 2002 and
through the end of summer 2009, TMSTEC will have provided professional
development opportunities for approximately 630 K-16 teachers and
administrators from across the state of Tennessee. Of the five
larger projects managed by TMSTEC, three of the project directors were
women. Many of the leadership roles and master teacher positions
were filled by women. Women MTSU faculty collaborating with
TMSTEC on these projects includes Biologists, Environmental Scientists,
Mathematicians, Statisticians, and Physicists. University scientists
and classroom teachers in STEM disciplines have many options for future
careers and opportunities. TMSTEC is proud of our role in advancing
opportunities for women in STEM education.
TMSTEC |
| TI-Nspire Mini-Conference |
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Would
you like to learn more about TI-Nspire Handheld Technology and
how it can be used in your math or physics classroom? We are
holding a TI-Nspire Mini-Conference on Saturday, March 7th in Memphis
from 9-3PM. The sessions will be conducted by classroom teachers
from right here in Tennessee. Elizabeth Kirby from Memphis City
Schools and Jeff McCalla from Shelby County Schools are the
hosts.
There will be an introductory sessions, and break-out sessions covering the following:
-Middle grades mathematics
-Algebra I
-Algebra II
-Geometry
-Calculus
-Statistics
-Physics
There is no cost to attend, and lunch will be provided. To register, please email Tonya Hancock at tonya@ti.com by Thursday, March 5.
We will need to know your name, school, and e-mail address.
Seating is limited, so do not delay! The exact locations and
directions will be e-mailed to you upon receipt of your RSVP. In
the meantime, visit http://www.tinspire.com for more information on the technology.
Tonya Hancock
Consultant, Education Technology |
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WISE March Events |
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The
MTSU Women In Science and Engineering have a busy month ahead of
them with many events to promote the equal opportunity of women in STEM.
March
2- Women In Health Panel co-organized with Pre-Scripts
CKNB N116
6:00PM
17- WISE Women Use Green Chemistry Video Conference
Co-organized with Girls Raised In Tennessee Science
9:00-10:00AM
31- WISE Women Use Green Chemistry
Central Middle School - 2:15PM-4:15PM
April
3-5 WISE Trip to UT Knoxville College of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate Studies, and the Knoxville Zoo
30- Trail To Success 6:00PM Monohan Hall
We hope to see you at some of these wonderfully WISE events! |
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Thank you for staying involved in the activities of GRITS.
Cacy DeSheles
Assistant Director
Girls Raised In Tennessee Science |
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