Women In Math And Science Will Strut Their Stuff At Conference For Young Women On Saturday, March 31

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Professional women in math and science will strut their stuff at a conference for young women on Saturday, March 31, at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The conference, "Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science: A Conference for Young Women," is part of a national effort to promote greater awareness of career opportunities in math and science by giving girls a chance to interact with women working in nontraditional careers. The local event will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the UCSC campus. Young women in grades 9-12 are invited to attend workshops given by women in math, science, engineering, and related fields. Interested adults are also welcome to attend.

The conference will feature hands-on learning experiences, as well as workshops in financial aid and career planning. The $15 admission fee includes lunch; advance registration is required. To register, or for more information, call (831) 459-2169. The event is cosponsored by the UCSC Women’s Center, the UCSC Educational Partnership Center, and the UCSC Title IX Office.

The event, which marks the first time since 1992 that UCSC has hosted the conference, will feature UCSC Chancellor M.R.C. Greenwood delivering the keynote address at 10:45 a.m. Marcia McNutt, president and chief executive officer at the Monterey Bay Area Research Institute, will deliver the closing plenary at 4 p.m. Other participants include marine scientists, geologists, doctors, a potter, engineers, astronomers, computer scientists, biologists, forensic scientists, librarians, and food-safety specialists.

"It’s important because women are still underrepresented in science, math, and engineering," said Roberta Valdez, director of UCSC Women’s Center. "Giving young women the opportunity to see other women working in science motivates them to pursue their own interests."

In 1976, the Math/Science Network at Mills College in Oakland hosted the first conference to nurture girls’ interest in math and science courses and to encourage them to expand their career visions to include science and math-based opportunities. Since that conference, more than 525,000 girls in grades 6-12 have attended EYH conferences. In 1999-2000, more than 100 conferences were held in 27 states.