__________________________________________________________
Outreach Committee List of Scientist Volunteers Now Available
Ann Reisenauer, Vice-President and Chairperson, Outreach Committee
The AWIS Outreach Committee has put together a flyer describing the presentations that our scientist volunteers can bring to the classroom. The flyer, on page 2 of this newsletter, can be copied and distributed to your children's schools, or to friends and colleagues who have children in school. The flyer lists the various topics and activities and appropriate grade levels for each topic. There is something for all grades from elementary school through high school.
If the flyer inspires you to participate, please fill up the sign-up form on page 3. It's not too late! If a class presentation is not your style, we can always use people willing to be science fair judges, career day panelists or even scientists willing to be interviewed over the phone by students or teachers. It can be a lot of fun and is a great way to teach kids that women are scientists too.
__________________________________________________________
Susan Bernhard
President
It's 1998! Make a resolution to become a more active AWIS member this year. Attend a meeting, join a committee, come on a hike, or simply send e-mail to the Board. Let us know what we're doing right, or suggest how we could do things differently. We welcome your input.
Recent chapter programs have been geared towards biotech (althernate paths, bioinformatics) and the needs of emerging professionals (networking, conflict resolution skills). In January we'll have a program on balancing family and career. Are there other topics, or different meeting formats, which would interest you? Please let one of us know.
Your participation will personalize the chapter's focus so that our activities can better meet your needs. Like a skilled chamber orchestra, you can count on your Board members to deliver the basic elements of beautiful music. But it takes the unique talents and interests of many individual performers to make the music really great.
__________________________________________________________
Warm Up Networking NightSusan Bernhard
President
We held a our third Networking Social on December 9. Sixty-four people attended: 37 members and 27 non-members, a good mix of different folks. We set up eight or nine tables with six to eight people at each table, and had a great time. It was a very festive occasion: a poinsettia graced the sign-in table (staffed by Laura Smoliar and Krista Bowman). And the Program Committee, bless their hearts, brought an astonishing array of cookies and veggie dips, nuts, dates and tangerines - plus hot spiced cider! (So good on a frosty night!) It was a lively, pleasant evening. A networking contact sheet will be mailed to all those who attended.
__________________________________________________________
Lisa Wang
Chair, Mentoring Committee
The AWIS Mentoring Program, which pairs professional women in science with Stanford women sciencegraduate students, is well underway for the 1997-1998 academic year. We kicked off in October with our speaker, Vondene Hopkins of Innovative Management Solutions in Danville (vondene@best.com), who introduced her perspective on key issues to building successful mentoring relation-ships. The criteria for success include a matching of personal and professional values, as well as establishing a contract (or agreed set of expectations) within the context of the mentoring relationship.
Our November 18th event focused on introducing mentors and protegees by asking each participant to briefly highlight their career aspirations and to share issues they would like to explore in their mentoring relationship(s). We estimate over 50 individuals attended this informative event, which concluded with a room full of lively discussions.
In December, we held the first of three on-campus lunch meetings at
Stanford, which are forums to encourage further networking and interaction among the graduate student participants of the mentoring program. One topic that arose from discussions at this event focused on career opportunities and options in the biotech industry. Information was circulated on a biotechnology course offered at the Haas Business School at UC Berkeley, BA 294.1, Entrepreneurial Issues in Biotechnology (freeman @haas.berkeley.edu) for the 1998 Spring Semester .The mentoring committee is comprised of five women who have volunteered
many hours of their time towards organizing this year's programs: Aparna Desai(desai@leland. Stanford. EDU), Kathy Dreyn (kdreyn@ leland. stanford .edu), Shalini Gidwani (sgidwani@stem.com), Meredith Williams (meredith _williams @amat.com) and Lisa Wang (lisawang@well.com).
__________________________________________________________
Resolve Conflicts Easily – Tips from November Seminar
Iris Schrijver
Co-Chair, Programs Committee
Despite the rain, 54 people attended the Palo Alto AWIS meeting on November 19. The featured speaker was Ellen Waxman, ombudsperson at Stanford. She aids students, staff and faculty in solving problems in the workplace by pointing out options without choosing sides.
Ellen's talk was full of practical tips, all of which focused on creating a (temporary) equality in relationships. Getting a problem out in the open is the first step. It is important to address the issue with the relevant individual(s) and not to let the person who has the conflict with you frame the problem. Both sides should be heard. Listening instead of defending yourself may be the most professional way to react to a conflict because it allows you to think about your approach. Active listening is a good way to understand something from someone else's point of reference, as it clarifies the implicit meaning of what is said . And most importantly, whenever you find yourself in a bad situation, it is worth working on small positive outcomes.
The presentation was followed by a lively discussion of problems and their possible solutions.
__________________________________________________________
Association for Women In Science (AWIS), Palo Alto
Our featured speaker is Dr. Celia Moreno, staff psychiatrist at the Stanford Counseling and Psychological Services, where she provides evaluation and brief treatment to Stanford students.
She has a special interest in women's issues, and has participated in conferences on the health status of women, women in medicine, and women in leadership.
DATE: Tuesday, January 15, 1998
TIME: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
LOCATION: SLAC Training Center, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Palo Alto
Schedule: 7:00-7:30 pm Networking and light Supper
7:30-7:45 pm Announcements
7:45-8:45 pm Program
8:45-9:00 pm Coffee/Tea and Discussion
Welcome!! The Meeting is free. You don't need to be a Member to attend.
All scientists, students, and their friends are welcome! Men too!
[
We honor our members at this meeting with a number of gift give-aways. [[
Don't miss this special *Member Appreciation Night*! [Directions to the Training Center at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC):
From Hwy 280, take the Sand Hill Road exit and head EAST to Palo Alto. At the 3rd stop light, turn RIGHT into SLAC. Tell the guard at the Entrance that you are attending an AWIS meeting. Turn LEFT after the guard, and turn LEFT into the parking lot by the Training Center.
Heading South on Hwy 101, take Hwy 84/Woodside Road WEST about 5 miles to Hwy 280 South (toward San Jose), then follow the directions above.
Heading North on Hwy 101, exit at Oregon Expressway heading WEST. Follow Oregon Exp. to Hwy 280 (becomes Page Mill Rd as you cross El Camino). Travel NORTH on Hwy 280 (towards San Francisco) to Sand Hill Road exit. Follow the directions above.
Local: From Stanford Shopping Center, travel WEST about 2 miles on Sand Hill Road. Cross Alameda de las Pulgas, and proceed to the third stoplight. Turn LEFT into SLAC. Follow the directions above.
For more info, contact Susan at bernhas@baxter.com (510-786-9744 x504) or Laura (510-353 4976)
__________________________________________________________
Northern California Chapters of the Association for Women In Science (NCC-AWIS)
Getting the Career Information You Need
in the Information Age (A Workshop)
Presented by: Mary Ellen Mort and Deborah Farag
DATE: Saturday, February 21, 1998
TIME: 8:30 am - 2:00 pm
LOCATION: Bayer Corporation Conference Room
800 Dwight Way, Berkeley
SCHEDULE:
8:30-9:00 am Registration and coffee
9:00-12:00 nn Workshop
12:00-2:00 pm Lunch and networking
COST: $25.00 (includes lunch, coffee and muffins, and printed materials)
Good decisions depend on having good information. There is a lot of information out there. The challenge is to locate, identify, and collect the specific information relevant to your personal decision making. This workshop will review and explore how to get information on companies, career development strategies and techniques, career areas and specific jobs from published sources in libraries and on the Internet and from people through informational interviewing. Participants will be qualified to use the Career Action Network, the informational interviewing database of the Career Action Center.
Mary Ellen Mort will guide us through the resources available in reference libraries and on the web, how to access them, and how to use the information for career decisions. In career development as in science, much of the detailed and specific information we need to make good decisions and to implement them isn't published.
Deborah Farag will discuss how to expand your job search information and tap into the hidden job market through informational meetings. She will take us through the process of soliciting, structuring, and conducting an informational meeting and offer specific techniques and strategies for maximizing your effectiveness in utilizing the telephone to achieve your objectives.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Deborah Farag came to the Bay Area in 1996 from Salt Lake City, where she managed national research fellowship programs for Associated Western Universities, Inc., a consortium of 62 colleges and universities. Armed with her management experience and a MS in Biochemistry, she aimed to make a career transition from non-profit/academia to the biotechnology industry. During this time, she developed and taught a course in telephone skills and informational meetings for unemployed professionals at the California Employment Development Department (Sunnyvale). Currently, as Contracts & Grants Manager at the San Jose State University Foundation, she collaborates with faculty to develop competitive proposals and negotiates contracts with private industry and government agencies for sponsored research activities. She is also working on a strategic business plan to establish a new technology transfer and licensing program to more actively promote SJSU research and bring its institutional expertise to the private sector. Deborah serves as Secretary of the AWIS Palo Alto Chapter and is a member of the NCC-AWIS Committee.
Mary Ellen Mort, also known as Electra, is a graduate of the University of Washington School of Librarianship, an experienced reference librarian, and the founder and creator of www.jobsmart.org. She worked for years as a business librarian at the Oakland Public Library and the Alameda County Business Library. For the last 10 years, she has been working with jobseekers in the public library and in community support agencies such as Forty Plus of Northern California, and with those who provide services to job seekers, e.g., librarians and career counselors. She is Adjunct Faculty at the John F. Kennedy University's School of Management, Career Development Program, and has taught classes in business research and job search information at the UC Extension programs around the Bay. Her 1993 book (now out of print), "Reaching the Hidden Job Market: Research Strategies & Resources", has been used as a text for many Bay Area job search workshops and is in most Bay Area public library collections.
To register, fill out the form on the following page and mail with payment to
Michelle Roeding, 1230 Mills St. #3, Menlo Park, CA 94025-3226 by February 14, 1998.
__________________________________________________________
Book Review: Extraordinary Women Scientists
Susan Bernhard, President
Extraordinary Women Scientists by Darlene R Stille,
Children's Press (Chicago), 1995. ISBN 0-516-00585-5. Keywords 1. Scientists 2. Women 3. Biography $16.00This book offers an inspiring collection of 50 biographies, most of them 2-3 pages long. These are modern women: 15 of the 50 women are alive today, more than half lived in this century, and almost all were born after 1860. The stories are short and simply told. Each can be savored in a few minutes, sipped along with a breakfast cup of coffee.
Astronauts, astronomers, neuroscientists, geneticists, cell biologists, physical chemists, anthropologists, archeologists, molecular biologists, biochemists, botanists, physicists, zoologists- these women have done all kinds of science. Before reading this book I recognized a few of the names Ð
Judith Poole, Barabara McClintock, Sally Ride, Rachel Carson Ð now I know a few more. I have to admit it is fun to read about these accomplished women.
The biographies chronicle high points of each woman's life in addition to explaining her scientific accomplishments or discoveries. They give some insight into how and why each chose her path. Who encouraged and taught her? What politics shaped her choices? Did she marry? Did she have kids? Was she rewarded and recognized for her achievements?
A delightful feature of the book are the photographs: one scientist sits garbed in her lab coat, while another is out in the field with her telescope. One sits in her library with her lapdog, and another smiles out of a space capsule window, dressed in a NASA jumpsuit.
Contains an index and a bibliography. Suitable for junior high, high school, or undergraduates as inspirational reading.
__________________________________________________________
Enter the AWIS-PA T-Shirt Design Contest
Susan Bernhard, President
Are you Looking for a CREATIVE OUTLET for your drawing talent?
AWIS-Palo Alto is soliciting designs for a chapter T-shirt. You may submit a pocket-size logo, or a whole front or back design. The words "AWIS Palo Alto" should appear as part of the design.
Send your entry to: T-Shirt Contest, c/o Susan Bernhard, 1981 Camino de los Robles Menlo Park, CA 94025. Please include your name and contact information with your design so we can contact you.
The deadline is February 15, 1998.
The winning design will be chosen by committee, and published in the next (March/April) newsletter. There will be a fabulous prize for the winner!
T-shirt orders will be taken between March and May. We hope to have
the shirts available in May when the weather gets warm again. Win a Prize! Enter Today!
__________________________________________________________
From the Amazon Books Web Site (http://www.amazon.com):
"The Science Book for Girls and Other Intelligent Beings" by Valerie Wyatt, Pat Cupples (Illustrator);
Paperback; $8.76Studies show that many girls' natural interest in science falls off during the preteen years. In an effort to keep girls tuned in to science, this book demonstrates that science is fun--and that it's for girls. It gives girls a positive and non-threatening look at science and science careers--although there's nothing stopping "other intelligent beings" from taking a peek, too! Full color.
____________________________
"She Does Math! Real-Life Problems from Women on the Job" by Marla Parker (Editor);
Paperback; $27.50From Women on the Job (Classroom Resource Materials): Presents the career histories of 38 professional women describing how much math each took in high school and college, how she chose her field of study, and how she ended up in her current job. Each woman presents several problems typical of those she had to solve on the job using mathematics.
____________________________
"Women and Numbers: Lives of Women Mathematicians Plus Discovery Activities"; by Teri Perl, illustrated by Analee Nunan;
Paperback, 1993; $12.76Presents biographies of women from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries who pursued their interests in mathematics. Each chapter includes different
mathematical activities.____________________________
"Girls & Young Women Inventing: Twenty True Stories About Inventors Plus How You Can Be One Yourself"; by Frances A. Karnes, et al;
Paperback; $10.36Examines twenty young female inventors and their creations, from Jennifer Donabar and her electric lock to Jeanie Low and her kiddie stool. In these first-person stories, readers discover the problems and frustrations of 20 young inventors and learn what motivated them and how they solved their problems. Step-by-step instructions on how to become an inventor are included and up-to-date information about inventors' associations and organizations are provided.
Excerpted from the Back Covers:
"Einstein's Wife (Work & Marriage in the Lives of Five Great 20th-Century Women)" by Andrea Gabor;
Viking/Penguin Books, 1995.Chapters on Mileva Maric Einstein, Lee Krasner, Maria Goeppert Mayer, Denise Scott Brown, and Sandra Day O'Connor. "A stunning account of five brilliant and talented women who insisted on nothing less than full success in both their personal and professional lives." - Deirdre Bair, author of "Anais Nin: A Biography" and "Simone de Beauvoir"
____________________________
"Lifting the Veil: The Feminine Side of Science" by Linda Jean Shepherd, Ph.D.;
Shambhala Publications, 1993.The feminine principle, with all its unique qualities and ways of seeing, is emerging in science today to restore the lost soul to disciplines once limited by principles of logic. Linda Shepherd draws on the experiences of contemporary scientists to show how the unveiling of the feminine is enlivening modern science,...changing long-held ideas about progress and about what makes "good science."