WiSE at Duke

PC welcomes Anne Catlla from Math

Welcome Anne, a postdoc in Applied Math to join WiSE PC. We are excited to have a math person on the PC!

posted by Tong @ 11:50 PM 0 Comments

***Thoughts on Spring 2006 Events***

Theme: Why So Few Women in Science and Engineering

0.Regarding general programming, we should give more weight to the sciences. This is very important! [Thanks to Heather Dean for pointing this out in the last PC mtg.]

1. Distinguished speaker event - Dr. Vasu Varadan, distinguished professor in electrical engineering, everything in place, coming on Jan. 13, 2006.

2. Negotiating a faculty position - panel or single speaker?

o Dr. Guilak, who is said to have given very impressive presentations in BME department. [recommended by Heidi K.] His website is http://www.duke.edu/~guilak/

o Dr. Mohamed Noor, who is a new faculty in biology at Duke and just started a new research lab. [recommended by Erica] His website is http://fds.duke.edu/db/aas/Biology/faculty/noor

o Invite career center people to come in and talk - Angie Smith?

o Invite HR people to come in and talk

3. "Duke Women in Technology" (or "Duke Women in Industry") - panel or single speaker?

o Helen Pak-Harvey, PhD (Duke chemistry, 1989), MBA, a Consulting Sales Executive with IBM's Healthcare and Life Sciences Organization. She serves on the Duke Club of the Triangle with Heather Dean. [Recommended by Heather Dean: "She would be willing to come speak to women for WiSE, and it sounds like she's been asked to do this for similar groups in the past… She also has two children, so she's balanced career and family."]

o Kimberly Jenkins, information technology entrepreneur, executive-in-residence in the Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program. She is now serving, on a volunteer basis, as a mentor to students in the MEM program and faculty at Duke interested in technology commercialization. Jenkins already has organized a research study with two students to better understand why so few women and minorities choose commercial technology and entrepreneurial careers. Jenkins, a Duke graduate, is the former president of the Internet Policy Institute, an independent, nonprofit research and educational institute that examines global internet use policy issues. She was also the founder, chairman and president of Highway 1, a nonprofit corporation focused on helping the federal government operate more effectively through the use of information technologies. During her career Jenkins founded Microsoft's Education Division, ran market development at NeXT, and worked as a technical analyst for Control Data Corporation. She has also served as a consultant to companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Sun, Oracle and Cisco. Jenkins currently serves on the Duke University Board of Trustees, where she chairs the Committee for Institutional Advancement. She is also a member of the Duke University Health Systems Board and the Kenan Institute for Ethics Board. http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2005/09/jenkins.html

o Shannon Dahl, recently graduated from Duke BME, played an important role in a start-up company called Humacyte. She came to BME "chalk talk" to speak about her experiences weeks ago. "The Healthcare Track Winner of the 2005 Duke Start-Up Challenge was a start-up company called Humacyte with five of its seven principals coming from Pratt. They include Laura Niklason, associate professor of BME, BME post-doc Juliana Blum and graduate students Derek Au, MEMP; Shannon Dahl, BME; and Xin Huang, BME. Humacyte is a vascular tissue engineering company pioneering the production of replacement blood vessels on demand from a patient's own cells." http://www.humacyte.com/

o Do you know any other successful duke women in S&E in triangle area?

4. Mentoring program

o Lana (from Graduate School Affairs) offered that WiSE can co-sponsor an event honoring graduate student mentors in the GSA student appreciation week in April 2006, with GSA offering the monetary support and WiSE offering the publicizing and programming. This would be an alternate way of getting funded and a good extension of our mentoring program.

o Emily Klein, professor of geology, senior associate dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Co-director of the Baldwin Scholars Program [recommended by Donna for the topic on mentoring]. We can have her to speak on the GSA student appreciation week event.

o Nan Jokerst, ECE's new DGS, very interested in talking about mentoring

o Wendy Wood, James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Marketing, Expertise: Sex differences; Attitude and Behavior

o We might consider continue with the mentoring program in the spring and extend it to the sciences.

5. More distinguished speakers for the future:

o Kathy Olson, Associate Director with the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in the Executive Office of the President of the United States [recommended by Tong's advisor]

o Susan Hockfield, MIT’s new president, a Neurobiology scientist
http://web.mit.edu/hockfield/biography.html

6. Other ideas

o Lori suggested WiSE continue with the biweekly reading group, where women read and discuss a recommended book or article. WiSE will pay for the books (and the meals?). This would be a good way to get people involved with PC.

o Heather suggested Women's Basket ball game. GPWN will have one this fall, WiSE might consider to have another one in spring.

o Tong visited Meredith College, a women's college in Raleigh, and met two great women in Mathematics. They might be able to talk about teaching experiences in a women's college.
-Dr. Virginia Knight (Ginny), Professor of Mathematics, Dean of School of Natural & Mathematical Sciences, wife of a Duke engineering professor.
-Dr. Rosalind Reichard, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Professor of Mathematics, former Dean of Math and Science at Elon College

o Monica, who recently joined PC, wants to start a magazine on women in science

o Vicki Weston, a sophomore, proposed Young Women's Leadership Conference, a one-day program introducing young women (4th through 8th grade) to math, science and engineering. Her goal is to involve local students, Duke faculty, and student volunteers. She is seeking support from WiSE in terms of publicity and volunteers.

o Field trip / volunteering events?

o More ideas / comments definitely welcome!

posted by Tong @ 1:53 PM 0 Comments

WiSE lunch event: Gender Influences in Engineering

Time: 12:00-1:15PM
Venue: Women's Center
Program Evaluation

posted by Tong @ 10:35 PM 1 Comments

WiSE to help Katrina victim Natasha Ben

Heidi K. met with "the Pratt adoptee" Natasha today. She was a student at Tulane University, and is currently studying at UNC public health school. WiSE is committed to fundraise and help Natasha and other graduate students in the Durham-Chapel Hill area displayed by Katrina.

posted by Tong @ 11:03 PM 0 Comments

Possible Speaker - Helen Pak-Harvey - from Heather Dean

I just met a terrific woman who received her PhD in chemistry from Duke in 1989 and now works for IBM. She serves on the Duke Club of the Triangle with me. She would be willing to come speak to women for WiSE, and it sounds like she's been asked to do this for similar groups in the past. We might want to tap her to speak sometime as a woman in industry, especially since she was a grad student at Duke. She also has two children, so she's balanced career and family.

Cheers,
Heather Dean

posted by Tong @ 10:37 PM 0 Comments

WiSE/SWE mentoring program kick-off party

Time: 12:00-1:30PM
Venue: Multicultural Center
Speaker: Dr. Monty Reichard
Program Evaluation
Note: This event was co-sponsored with SWE.

posted by Tong @ 10:31 PM 0 Comments

PC update: Welcome new members!!!

1. Claire Robbins is appointed the new program coordinator at Women's Center and will be WiSE's new advisor starting next month. Claire is very passionate about this position and she values student programming and creative ideas.

2. Heather LaBreche, a native North Carolinian and a graduate student in genetics, recently joined WiSE PC. She is interested in increasing the number of women in biological sciences.

3. Monica Catherine Byrne, who just finished her graduate degree at MIT and moved down to Durham, recently joined WiSE PC. Trying to get established as a freelance writer, she has an active interest in women in science, and is looking to starting a magazine for women in science.

4. Carrie Ring, a first year BME student, who has been very actively involved in WiSE programs, just joined WiSE PC.

Up-to-date Planning Committee members:
Lori Norton (BME)
Sarah L. Kieweg (BME)
Heather Dean (neurobiology)
Heather LaBreche (genetics)
Yi-Hsin Erica Tsai (biology, web mistress)
Heidi Holder (CEE)
Monica Catherine Byrne (Earth, Atmopsheric and Planetary Sciences)
Carrie Ring (BME)
Heidi Koschwanez (PC Chair, BME)
Tong Ren (programmer, ECE)
Claire Robbins (advisor, WC)

posted by Tong @ 9:50 PM 0 Comments

Association of Women in Mathematics

Heidi K., Lori, and Tong attended the AWM social picnic today. We met the AWM president Jackie and faculty members and students in Mathematics.

posted by Tong @ 10:27 PM 0 Comments