1. DAYTON SECTION WOMEN CHEMISTS COMMITTEE - CHANGING THE FACE OF CHEMISTRY D. Eastwood, J.J. Shaw, and N.T. Ritchard Department of Engineering Physics, Air Force Institute of Technology, 2950 P Street, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433
The Dayton Section WCC was established in 1997. The events sponsored to date have included a roundtable discussion on "Careers in Focus", which involved introductions and a discussion on career highlights and issues faced by women in Chemistry today. The WCC has invited well-known women scientists as role models for what can be achieved in today's workplace. These guests included Jeannette Grasselli Brown, retired Director of Corporate Research for BP America, for a presentation co-sponsored with AFIT on Vibrational Spectroscopy; and Dr. Mildred Dresslehaus, MIT, for a presentation also co-sponsored with AFIT on Carbon Nanotubes, as well as a brown-bag WCC breakfast to discuss "Increased Opportunities for Women in Science". The final event co-sponsored by the WCC along with the Dayton ACS section was a seminar entitled "Where Do We Go From Here?", which was presented as a guide in helping chemical professionals make key decisions in defining the direction of their careers. Future activities may include a talk on Ethics as related to the sciences, a seminar on stress management, a forum on Continuing Education for chemists, and a career night for undergraduate and graduate students.
2. NEW PHILADELPHIA ACS WCC SECTION FILLING COMMUNITY NEED K. A. Thrush and E. L. Davis Philadelphia Section American Chemical Society, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6323
A local WCC group was initiated in the Philadelphia Section in 1998 to support the women of the section. Goals of networking, mentoring and community service were developed. A questionnaire has been circulated to determine the focus and form of the section, with the information being compiled in a database. Several planning meetings, a mailing to all women in the section, an informational speaker and a community project as part of National Chemistry Week have already been conducted. Members represent all aspects of ACS membership. The group has a formal structure and has many programs planned (including joint meetings with other groups) for the coming year. Support from the local section has been tremendous.
3. WOMEN IN SCIENCE BROWN BAG LECTURE SERIES J. M. Iriarte-Gross Department of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37132.
Women's History Month has been celebrated at Middle Tennessee State University since 1983. This celebration has grown from four events in 1983 to over fifty in 1996. Activities have included films, plays, lectures, and exhibits, and athletic events. The first Women's History Month event to highlight women in science premiered in 1997. The Women in Science Brown Bag Lecture Series is a series of informal presentations that focus on women in science, their careers, and their accomplishments. Topics ranged from imaging atoms to the environment to raising miniature horses. The success of the initial Brown Bag series has resulted in the Women in Science Brown Bag Lecture Series becoming an annual Women's History Month event.
4. EXPANDING YOUR HORIZONS IN SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS. A HANDS-ON CONFERENCE FOR GIRLS IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE J. M. Iriarte-Gross Department of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37132.
Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Mathematics (EYH) Conferences were created in 1976 by the Math/Science Network. The first EYH in middle Tennessee was held on October 25, 1997 at Middle Tennessee State University. We introduced three hundred middle school girls to science and math fields that ranged from polymers to physics to pathology. The primary goal of EYH is to acquaint young women with science and mathematics based careers by interacting with professional women role models, listening to a keynote address by a woman in science, and from participating in hands-on activities. The single sex groups also encourage the young women to explore science and math in a comfortable setting. Highlights of chemistry workshops, including those presented at our second EYH, on October 31, 1998, will be presented.
5. WOMEN CHEMISTS OF NEW MEXICO WORKING FOR WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT IN SCIENCE L. B. Hakim and T. M. Powers P.O. Box 11902, Albuquerque, N.M. 87192
The recent inception of W.C.C. in the state of New Mexico has prompted an interest in its programs and goals. Programs include targeting people of prominence who champion the advancement of women in science, uniting families through science by sponsoring educational forums, and supporting career and professional development through workshops and seminars. By targeting CEOs, government officials, and educational leaders the W.C.C. of N.M. hopes to relay the importance of the advancement of women in science by increasing awareness of current issues, increase funding support for sponsored events, and inducing more scolarships for female students. The W.C.C hopes to sponsor numerous entertaining events that create unity, and education within the family, such as science toy fairs. Afternoon tea, pot lucks, and workshops are all on the list for enhancing support, education, and networking for our members. W.C.C. looks forward to the oportunity of serving women in science, both today and tomorrow.
6. SUCCESSFUL WOMEN CHEMISTS COMMITTEE PROGRAMING IN THE SAN DIEGO SECTION Suzanne Blackburn, Michele Ramirez-Weinhouse, Grace Nakayama, and Melissa Fitzgerald WCC, San Diego Section, San Diego, CA 92121
Examples of various programs sponsored by the San Diego Section Women Chemists Committee will be detailed. Successful events held over the past 5 years will be highlighted. Such programs include panel discussions featuring women chemists from the local biotech industry, Happy-Hour gatherings allowing for more networking opportunities between the local women chemists, and Regional Meeting Luncheons which brings together women chemists from varied career paths as well as different geographical locations.
7. ACS WOMEN IN CHEMISTRY AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY: ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF WOMEN CHEMISTS Rhonda Patschke, Elizabeth A. Gardner, Kathryn G. Severin, Wendy Flory, Micah K. Stowe, and Evelyn P. Jackson Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
ACS Women in Chemistry was founded in 1997 to give support to women in science and address their needs and concerns. The group is supported by the Michigan State University local section of the ACS. The mission is to provide a venue for women chemists to meet and interact, and to facilitate both their professional and personal growth. To ensure that our membersachieve a smooth transition into the professional world, we have sponsored both funding and resume writing workshops. Stress management and communication style workshops were held to target the professional growth of our members. In addition, we have participated in a panel discussion on "Life as a Graduate Student," at a regional career fair. We believe that these programs have been very successful and have provided a supportive environment for the women in our group.
8. ACS WOMEN IN CHEMISTRY AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSIY: BROWN BAG LUNCHES Wendy C. Flory, Elizabeth A. Gardner, Rhonda Patschke, and Kathyrn G. Severin Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
One of the most successful programs of ACS Women in Chemistry has been a series of Brown Bag Lunches. Several of our discussion topics have spun off into more involved projects. Our first discussion topic, "What is a Ph.D.?," was so popular that it was continued over two more meetings. It expanded to include such topics as "How to manage a career and a family" and "What is expected of a Ph.D. chemist from industry and in academia?" The Brown Bag Lunch topic, "Quick and Easy Literature Searches on the Web", has become an annual program which we sponsor for the Michigan State University Chemistry Department as a whole. A discussion of "Grants and Fellowship Opportunities for Students and Post-docs led to a series of funding and resume writing workshops. In addition to our monthly Brown Bag Lunches, we provide an environment of support for our members through scheduled weekly lunches. This gives an opportunity for the younger chemists to interact with and be mentored by the older graduate students and professionals.
9. SUCCESSFUL FORMATTING FOR LOCAL WCC PROGRAMS Mary F. Singleton and Michelle Ellett 597 Gerard Court, Pleasanton, CA 94566
The California Section's WCC has developed a strategy of planning four meetings each year with members taking turns being responsible for contacting speakers and making meeting arrangements. One meeting usually features an outstanding woman chemist from academe and includes a student poster presentation. The summer meeting is both social and educational e.g., cooking and chemistry, wine making, or plant chemistry (each in the appropriate setting.) The WCC often sponsors a workshop or conference that addresses strategies for success targeted at our members or directed at students in undergraduate and graduate school. Panel discussions are always popular e.g., representatives from various fields of employment, various undergrad chemistry programs, or women in leadership positions. Most of our meetings are cosponsored by AWIS, Iota Sigma Pi, and the Leadership Institute at Mills College when we use their facilities. We have found that meeting on Saturday from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM works best for our members.
10. ACTIVITIES OF THE ST. LOUIS SECTION WOMEN CHEMISTS COMMITTEE Leah C. O'Brien Department of Chemistry, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL 62026-1652
Activities of the St. Louis Section Women Chemists Committee will be presented. Highlights include invited speakers at our spring luncheon meetings: 1997, Dr. Mary Thompson, College of St. Catherine (St. Paul, MN), "What ever happened to Mary Jane?"; 1998, Dr. Suzanne Hargrove, Head Objects Conservator, St. Louis Art Museum "Chemistry and Art Conservation", and Ms. Sheila Tobias, author/research in Science Education, "Women and Science"; 1999, Dr. Janet Osteryoung, National Science Foundation, "TBA".
11. HOW TO ORGANIZE PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN CHEMISTS AT ACS REGIONAL MEETINGS Valerie L. Barrett Sunkist Growers, Inc. P.O. Box 3720 Ontario, CA 91761
Planning is the key to creating successful programs for women chemists at ACS Regional Meetings. To initialize the sequence of events, contact the RM general chair one to two years before the meeting is scheduled to occur. Ask if a WCC event will be included, who is organizing it and if there is budget money available. Since you are expressing an interest early in the RM planning, you may wind up being the WCC chair. Contact the Local ACS Section(s) WCC and executive committees for financial support and to network for assistance. Select a topic that fits with the RM theme and will be relevant to local women chemists. Devise an event plan, such as: a luncheon featuring a successful woman chemist speaker, a panel of women discussing careers, a workshop on leadership or mentoring skills, or a women in chemistry symposium. Ensure that the WCC event gets listed on the call for papers, program and that luncheon tickets can be ordered from the registration form. Finally, create and distribute a flyer to publicize the WCC program.