Middle School Girls Get a Glimpse of Where Math and Science Can Take Them

One hundred twenty middle school aged girls eagerly filled the auditorium on Saturday, March 26, as they geared up for the sixth Women in Science and Math Conference sponsored by Northboro Junior Woman’s Club.

The conference included more than a dozen professional women representing careers for women in math, science and technology. In small, 35-minute workshop groups, each presenter engaged the girls as they shared information about their career and education, as well as provided a hands-on, exploration activity that showcased the tools of their trade. How science and math are relevant to daily life was presented in a fun, educational way.

This was the first year the conference was organized as a spring event. It has always been a fall event in October or November.

Laurie Middleton, the conference coordinator, confirmed that the event was well attended and, in fact, had around 25 girls on a waiting list. She explained that attendance is limited each year so each workshop group can be kept small. This year each workshop averaged about ten girls.

"It’s small and not intimidating, and gives the girls a chance to all be involved with the hands on activity," said Middleton.

As part of the registration process, each attendee was asked to list the top workshop choices they wished to attend and those preferences took priority during the scheduling process. Middleton noted that Forensic Chemistry was by far the most requested topic.

Most of the speakers were found through word of mouth. Middleton explained that the Junior Woman’s Club "is such a diverse group and a wonderful resource." The speakers are either club members or family or friends of club members, who had a connection in some way to the scheduled speakers.

Each speaker donated their time and materials for the event. This conference is offered at no cost for the attendees. In kind donations and a few corporate sponsors including Roche Brothers, Wal-Mart, Big Y, Target and BJ’s, helped to defray costs of the program, such as lunch, name tags, and paper.

A variety of occupations were represented. "The girls really can see how math and science that they learn now can benefit them in the future. It gives them options," Middleton said.

Terri Serra, a member of Junior Woman’s Club and volunteer at the conference, mentioned that her daughter attended this conference years ago and is now studying mechanical engineering/robotics at Stevens Institute of Technology. She feels that the conference opened her daughter’s eyes to the possibilities of careers available to women.

Architect Diana Nicklaus-Garton’s workshop included having the girls design a studio apartment, as well as a discussion on how diverse the options are with an architecture degree and how science, math and art are all a part of this career path. "It prepares you for all kinds of things." She also cited how important communication and collaboration skills are as well and how computer technology has changed over the years and how they rely on it now.

Girls who attended the surgery workshop led by Dr. Rothsovann Yong and Susan Ly, had fun practicing their suturing skills on a chicken leg, while Andrea Okerholm, who presented the Robotics workshop and has been working in the robotics industry for ten years, had the girls program a robot.

Those who attended the Environmental Health and Safety Engineering workshop became familiar with many instruments used on the job, including a decibel counter and realizing what level of noise in decibels requires ear protection per OSHA and a few girls were able to model the emergency gear.

Louise Maranda, MVZ, MSc, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Clinical Research at Umass Medical was the opening speaker and Kristy Owen, marine biologist from Woods Hole Science Aquarium closed the conference after a luncheon.

Nicklaus-Garton, a first time presenter at the conference this year, was very impressed with the conference. "It was a great opportunity for these girls. They were all enthusiastic about being there and thinking about their careers, which is wonderful for young women. It was fun to work with the girls. I hope they took something good away from the presentation."

She is already looking forward to doing it again next year.

The following is a listing of all careers and presenters that participated in this event: Architecture: Diana Nicklaus-Garton, AIA, Architect with Stantec Architecture; Emergency Medicine: Rothsovann Yong, MD and Susan Ly, MD, UMass Medical School and Medical Center; Surgery: Sonia Ortiz-Pagan, MD, Surgeon at UMass Medical Center; Meteorology: Lodovica Illari, Senior Lecturer in Meteorology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Mechanical Engineer: Amrita Saigal, Mechancial Engineer at Proctor & Gamble-Gillette; Textile Engineering: Betsy Moore, Project Officer, Program Manager, Infantry Clothing and Equipment with US Marine Corps; Forensic Chemistry: Laura Bryant, Forensic DNA Analyst, MA State Police Crime Laboratory; Environmental Health & Safety Engineering: Charleen Sotolongo, JoAnn Ranslow, and Katie Grasso, UMass Medical School and University; Occupational Therapy: Susan Orciuch and Claudia Farrell, Thom Marlborough Area Early Intervention and Beaumont Rehabilitation; Robotics: Andrea Okerholm, Senior Software Engineer, iRobot; Veterinary Medicine: Christine Pelletier, DVMRN, Medical Director, VCA Boston Road Animal Hopsital; Plastics Engineer: Orpha James, Senior Validation and Compliance Engineer, Nypro HealthCare.