Krista Bowman, Co-Chair, Programs Committee
Do you have a dream of making a difference in the world and helping
those suffering from a currently untreatable disease? You may be on the
road to starting your own company... but be sure to tell the venture capitalists that you
are interested in a handsome financial reward! This was just one of the tips the 55 women
in attendance learned from Dr. Carmen Vigo-Pelfry, President of Neurocal, Inc., at the
March 24th
program of the Palo Alto AWIS chapter.
Leaving a very successful career in biotechnology with many ideas and empty hands, Dr.
Vigo-Pelfry founded Neurocal, Inc. in 1996 to develop
treatments for neurodegenerative conditions. Today, with a unique core technology and two
proprietary drugs ready for clinical trials, the
company is well on its way to success.
What is needed to start a company, Dr. Vigo-Pelfry emphasized, are good scientific and
management teams, and a group of people from whom to learn business skills. So are a good
proprietary position, a unique core technology, and strong academic and corporate
partnerships. Once
these are in place, board the rollercoaster in pursuit of your dream and never look back!!
It takes a woman with a strong will, faith in her dreams, commitment, perseverance,
financial security, emotional support, and a willingness
to risk everything to reap the real reward - "the opportunity to do something you
love and have always wanted to do.²
__________________________________________________________
Susan Bernhard, President
Thanks to you all! This has been a really great year for our chapter
and committees. Mentoring has held four evening programs and workshops,
offered a video on women in science, and started a brown-bag lunch series for grad
students on the Stanford campus. Outreach has sent a
number of classrooms volunteers to give short talks and demonstrations, from elementary
and high school, from San Jose to San Mateo. The
Program Committee has planned 10 chapter programs this year. Attendance at our meetings
now averages 50-60 people, double the number from 2 or 3 years ago. Thanks to everyone who
participated in our Committee work, or joined a hike, or gave us suggestions for a T-shirt
design or for a future program, or helped us move chairs for our meetings. Thanks to all
our active volunteers: you have helped us become the vibrant,
lively, networking chapter we are today.
This is the last issue of our newsletter before the summer, so you will find flyers for
the May, June and July programs. I suggest that you get
out your calendar or planner now, and mark these dates: May 19, June 11, and July 14. The
May 19 meeting will be a very informative
presentation by two Human Resources specialists from Genentech and Seagate Technology. On
July 14, we will hold the third Networking Ice
Cream Social, an evening to savor!
On June 11, a special NCC event at Genentech will feature Kitty Didion, Executive Director
of National. I spoke with Kitty a few weeks ago
she has loads of statistics about the retention, tenure and promotion difficulties still
encountered by academic women in science. Kitty will
also explain what National AWIS is doing to become more responsive to local chapters. This
will be a unique opportunity to rediscover why
belonging to National is important for all of us as science professionals.
I hope to see you at meetings and hikes throughout the summer months, and with your
continued support and interest I look forward to another
good year starting in the fall.
__________________________________________________________
Susan Bernhard, President
The 1998 NCC AWIS Recognition Awards Banquet took place at Genentech
on April 23rd. More than 90 people from all four local AWIS chapters attended the banquet
this year which featured a fabulous southwest-style buffet and a lively, upbeat awards
program.
As with all major events, it takes many individuals contributing their time behind the
scenes to make things go smoothly. The following key
people should be recognized for their special efforts (bravo!): Patty Holman (East Bay)
selected the caterer, and brought wine and flowers.
Kay Monroe (East Bay) was our on-site coordinator at Genentech. Chris Rozanas (East Bay)
prepared the Program booklet. Annette Lewis (Palo Alto) handled the RSVPs and coordinated
the nametag preparation with Susan Bernhard.
Both chapter Scholarship committees and NCC committee members selected our award winners
this year. The winners of three East Bay AWIS
scholarships this year are: Sherifat Bello, Laney College (Kathleen Miller scholarship);
Terri Gaines, Vista College, and Trang Le, Laney
College (East Bay chapter scholarships).
The winners of the two Palo Alto chapter scholarships are: Lan-Chih Wang (DeAnza College)
and Sophia Bornstein (Foothill College) The 1998
Ellen Weaver award winner is Aurora Sosa (Bayer Corporation), and the 1998 Judith Pool
award winner is Dr. Phyllis Gardner (ALZA Corporation).
Ellen Weaver regaled the dinner crowd with stories of her days and struggles as a
seven-cent-per-hour government chemist, with the same pay
as a lab glass washer, while their male counterparts had monthly salaries. Both Dr. Weaver
and Dr. Gardner noted how we have come a
long way since then, but still need to keep fighting for equal recognition and
compensation.
Congratulations to all our winners, and thanks to everyone for bringing their enthusiasm
and personal warmth to the Banquet. That's what makes
this event so special and so enjoyable each year.
__________________________________________________________
The East Bay chapter of AWIS recently unveiled its new web site at
www.ebawis.org. We invite everyone to come visit and give feedback. The
site and its content have been developed by the efforts of several eb members and will
continue to evolve as more content is created and
everyone learns how to use it effectively for announcements and archived information.
The main information currently posted includes upcoming events (including chapter
meetings), current newsletter issue, Outreach
activities, and the list of Board members. Content is also being developed to cover job
hunting and scientific resources, and cover other
projects that the chapter does (scholarships, mentoring). A page for NCC projects is also
being developed.
Send your feedback and comments to myrnafaulds@ bioexp.com or rozanas@aol.com.
__________________________________________________________
Mary Alice Yund, Co-chair, NCC and Membership Committees
Last year National AWIS received a grant to replace an archaic membership data base and
computer system. The process and data
transfer, now almost finished, has been slow and difficult. For several months there was
no working data base at all and membership renewal
notices could not be sent out. Now that there is a functional data base again, renewal
notices are being belatedly sent to those who were
missed. For those with renewal dates since late last fall, National renewal notices should
arrive, or have arrived, several months late
and often not at the same time the chapter sent the directory update reminder.
Your actual National membership renewal date is printed on the address label of the AWIS
magazine. We all hope the new computer system, once operational, will prevent future
problems of this kind.
Membership Update
We have received information on how to access the Palo Alto Chapter membership data in the
National database. Mary Alice Yund, Membership Committee co-chair, will reconcile the
information in National's database with our chapter records. We will then be sending
renewal
updates and clarifications to individuals who may not have gotten timely renewal notices.
__________________________________________________________
Ann Reisenauer, Vice President and Outreach
Committee Chair
This is the second year that our chapter has given $500 scholarships
to two students at DeAnza and Foothill Colleges. The 1998 scholarship
winners are Sophia Bornstein, a chemistry and math major at Foothill College, and Lan-Chih
Wang, a biology major at DeAnza. They were chosen not only for having excellent grades,
but also for their community service and financial need.
Sophia works in the Tutorial Center at Foothill, plays the piano at community events, acts
as science editor for the Foothill Sentinel, and
eventually hopes to get a graduate degree in mathematics. (Imagine my surprise when I
discovered that she is also a member of AWIS and a
community outreach volunteer!)
Lan-Chih is from Taiwan. Because her goal is to be a doctor, she plans to transfer to a
four-year college and apply to medical school. Right
now she's a volunteer in the maternity department at Stanford Medical Center. I hope you
had a chance to meet these two young women at the
Awards Banquet.
__________________________________________________________
PHOTO CAPTION:
Inspiring future AWIS members Susan Bernhard (center) talks shop with prospective women
scientists during a class visit at Piedmont High
PHOTO CAPTION:
An Outreach Success Story
A student in Doug Wong's physiology class at Piedmont Hills High School reads the results
of the Strep A test she just performed. Susan, an
Outreach volunteer, told the class about entry levels jobs in biotech and introduced the
topic of antibodies and health. She then gave the
students gloves, a timer, a throat swab and a diagnostic kit for strep A - and let them
play. They all had a blast, especially Susan. (photo by
Susan Bernhard)
__________________________________________________________
The Mentoring Committee presents
Entrepreneurial Women in Biotech
A Panel of Women in Different Entrepreneurial Roles in the Biotech Industry
Constance McKee, a former venture capitalist who is starting her second company
Rivka Sherman-Gold who transitioned from business development at Athena Neurosciences to
Abgenix
Chu Chang of Systemix and formerly Norvartis, who has international experience from a
business perspective
DATE: Tuesday, May 12, 1998
TIME: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
LOCATION: 372 Mitchell Earth Sciences Building
Stanford University
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
(Free!! All scientists and students are welcome! Bring your questions!)
********************************
Directions to the Mitchell Earth Sciences Building at Stanford
University:
From Hwy. 101:
Take the University Ave. exit and proceed into Stanford University
(turns into Palm Drive). Turn right onto Campus Drive West. Continuing
past the med school, turn left at Santa Theresa St. and park in the area
between Morris Way and Lomita Drive. Walk down Morris Way, turn right
when you reach the Green Earth Sciences Building and Mitchell will be
the second building on your left
.
From Hwy. 280:
Take the Page Mill Road exit and head east. Turn left onto Junipero
Serra Blvd. After ~1-2 miles, when you see the Stanford Golf Course,
turn right onto Campus Drive West (don't turn onto Campus Drive East).
Santa Theresa St. will be the first street on the right hand side. Turn
right and park in the area between Morris Way and Lomita Drive. Walk
down Morris Way, turn right when you reach the Green Earth Sciences
Building and Mitchell will be the second building on your left.
Contact: lisawang@well.com or phone Lisa at 650-342-2718 for information
or suggestions.
__________________________________________________________
H.R. 3007 Addresses the Plight of Women Scientists
Kitty Didion Testifies in Congress
(Excerpts from a CNET news release by CNET. NEWS.COM Staff Writer Courtney Macavinta)
On March 27,1998, a congressional subcommittee passed H.R.3007, a bill that would create a
one-year federal study to determine where women are underrepresented in the computer and
science industries. H.R.3007 provides for an 11-member Commission on Women in Science,
Engineering, and Technology Development that will investigate the recruitment, promotion,
and retention rates of women in comparison to those of their male counterparts in the
government, academia, and industry.
"This bill will help women break through the 'glass ceiling' as well as the 'silicon
ceiling,'" said Rep. Constance Morella (R-Maryland), who
chairs the subcommittee and introduced the bill.
Women could fulfill the current demand for high tech workers but often come up against
"invisible social barriers" that are hard to pinpoint.
"My first job, I worked with a client who had a poster on his wall that said: 'A real
man takes no shit from any women,'" said Lauren Hall,
chief technologist for the Software Publishers Association. She emphasized the need to
make sure that these institutional barriers for
women are removed. The commission's report is expected to help identify where these
barriers exist.
The commission also would take a hard look at whether women are paid the same and climb
the ranks at the same pace as men with equivalent
experience. Women leave science, engineering, and technology careers twice as frequently
as men. The commission should uncover the reasons and hammer out solutions for this
inequality. One possible reason is the salary discrepancy between men and women. Women in
science, engineering, and technology earn 12-15 % less than their male counterparts.
Suggestions included increasing mentoring programs and educating high school counselors
about the opportunity for all students in the
high-tech and science fields.
Catherine Jay Didion, executive director of the Association for Women in Science, who
testified at a March 10 House Subcommittee hearing, said, "The Labor Department and
other federal agencies still refer to scientific occupations selected by women as
'nontraditional' careers,
implying that the women must somehow be gender-confused if they are in the sciences."
"Mentors and role models--both women and men--are needed to serve as teachers and
guides to help women scientists advance their careers," she added. "The vast
majority of successful women scientists have had male mentors who were critical to their
success. These relationships should be formalized, long-term, and rewarded whenever
possible."
__________________________________________________________
The 90's Job Market - News You
Can Use
Two surveys by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and the Michigan
State University College Employment Research Institute (CERI) together provide a revealing
view of the current employment scene. The NACE survey resulted in the formulation of some
advice on making the job hunt as painless as possible. The CERI study asked employers to
evaluate the work performance of their new hires. Findings
from both studies, summarized below, provide food for thought for science majors and
graduate students.
Q: What do employers want?
A: Candidates with strong speaking and writing skills, technical and computer abilities,
teamwork experience, interpersonal skills, and
structured work experience from their college years.
Q: What do employers expect from technical grads?
A: They must be able to apply their technical knowledge in abstract situations, compute
mathematical calculations, structure and analyze
data, and interpret findings at sophisticated levels.
Q: What do newly hired graduates lack?
A: Technical graduates lacked presentation and interaction skills, and overall were poorly
prepared to take leadership responsibilities.
Nontechnical graduates were inadequately prepared in goal setting, handling conflict and
criticism, and understanding workplace values.
Overall, they were not prepared to write project proposals or negotiate in general
business environments.
Q: What advice can you give job seekers and recent graduates ?
A: Set job search goals. If still undecided, familiarize yourself with various fields and
identify companies you are interested in. Take
temporary or part-time work. You can learn about companies and connect with full-time
positions this way. Develop job leads from databases on
the Internet. Check newspaper ads and college career service offices.
(From CPST Comments, published by the Commission on Professionals in Science and
Technology, a Michigan AAAS affiliate. E.L. Babco, ed. - Thanks to P.A. Moore)
__________________________________________________________
C A L E N D A R o f E V E N T S
AWIS-PALO ALTO MAY SEMINAR
Tuesday, May 19
7:00 - 9:00 pm
SLAC Training Center
2575 Sand Hill Road, Palo Alto
"How Much Are You Worth?"
(Understanding Benefits and Compensation)
Susan Dinga Vice President, Global Staffing and HR, Seagate Technology
and
Mary Cooper HR Director, Genentech
To RSVP or for more info, contact Susan at bernhas@baxter.com or 510-723-2094
AWIS-PALO ALTO MENTORING PROGRAM GRADUATE STUDENT LUNCH
Wednesday, May 27
12:00 noon
Tressider Oak East Lounge
Stanford University
Sponsor: Mentoring Committee
Contact Kathy Reynolds Lacey (kdreyn@leland.Stanford.EDU)
for more information.
AWIS-PALO ALTO MIDSUMMER NETWORKING ICE CREAM SOCIAL
Tuesday, July 14
7:00 - 9:00 pm
SLAC Training Center
2575 Sand Hill Road, Palo Alto
Y Fresh fruit & ice cream on the patio
Y No-host roundtable networking
Y Meet EVERYONE in an informal, friendly setting
Y Find out who's doing what and make new connections
To RSVP or for more info, contact Susan at bernhas@baxter.com
or 510-723-2094
NCC MEETS KITTY DIDION, NATIONAL AWIS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Thursday, June 11
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Genentech Conference Center
Forbes Blvd., South San Francisco
All Northern California AWIS Chapter Members are invited!
Hear about:
Y National AWIS activities;
Y The latest statistics on
Women in Science;
Y Why you should belong to
National AWIS
Contact Krista at kbowman@axyspharm. com or call Susan at 510-723-2094 to RSVP or for more
information.
BIOSCIENCE JOB FAIRS
Tuesday, May 12
11:00 am - 6:00 pm
San Francisco Marriott Hotel
55 Fourth St.
Monday & Tuesday, May 18-19
2:00-7:00 pm
San Jose Doubletree Hotel
2050 Gateway Pl.
Monday, June 1
11:00 am - 6:00 pm
San Ramon Marriott Hotel
2600 Bishop Drive
Sponsor: LSA/Lendman Group West
Email: resume@lsajobfair.com
Website: www.lsajobfair.com
Phone: 510-436-3976
AWIS-PA/MITCNC JUNE MENTORING EVENT
Wednesday, June 24 (tentative)
7:00-9:00 pm
Mitchell Earth Sciences Building
Stanford University
Women Entrepreneurs in High Tech
Contact Lisa Wang (lisawang@ well.com) for directions and date confirmation.
JUNE CONFERENCES ON FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS AND PROTEOMICS
All sessions at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
------------------------------
Monday & Tuesday, June 1-2
Conference on Functional Genomics:
Successful Strategies for Genomics-Based Drug Discovery
------------------------------
Wednesday, June 3
Symposia/Workshops on DNA Chips and Microarrays; Target Validation
------------------------------
Thursday & Friday, June 4-5
Conference on Proteomics:
Defining Gene Function for Drug Dicovery
------------------------------
Presentations by science and business people from over 20 companies in each field
Sponsor: IQPC (International Quality and Productivity Center)
Cost per conference + symposia: from $495
Program, fees, and registration info at http://www.iqpc.com/hc-e.htm
or call 800-882-8684
EAST BAY AWIS MAY MEETING
Thursday, May 14
6:30-8:30 pm
Bayer Corporation, Berkeley
"The Old Girls' Network: Making It Work for You"
Network and make connectionst that can lead to your next job!
Directions on our website (http://www.ebawis.com) or go to http://maps.yahoo.com and enter
"Dwight Way and 7th St., Berkeley, CA"
Contact Chris Rozanas at 510-796-0384 or rozanas@aol.com