Nov. 7, 2006
To: Editors, news directors
From: Nicole Miller, (608) 262-3636, nemiller2@wisc.edu
Re: TIP/CONFERENCE LETS MIDDLE-SCHOOL GIRLS EXPLORE SCIENCE, MATH CAREERS
More than 430 middle-school girls will be at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on
Saturday, Nov. 11, to explore careers in science, engineering and mathematics.
A conference, “Expanding Your Horizons,” aims to encourage girls to consider careers
in science, math and related fields in which they are currently underrepresented.
According to the Math/Science Network, women comprise a mere 16 percent of the
science and engineering workforce, although they make up close to 66 percent of new
entrants into the labor force.
Participants will attend three sessions loosely structured around nine career
tracks: biology, physical sciences, math, architecture, engineering, computers,
health and medicine, veterinary science and the environment. Each will include
hands-on activities ranging from welding at MATC to designing a marketing and
production plan for a new pudding product (overseen by a Kraft scientist).
Media are invited. The conference runs from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. It will be
headquartered at Union South, 227 N. Randall St., although many sessions will be
held at other locations.
The conference is a joint effort of UW-Madison, Edgewood College, Madison Area
Technical College, UW-Madison’s Graduate Women in Science student organization, the
Girl Scouts of Black Hawk, Covance and other Madison businesses.
For more information, contact Cheryl Redman at (608) 265-2019 or
redman@biotech.wisc.edu
