September 2007 Issue
Mixer Aims to Help Women
Keep Science in Their Futures
Women in the sciences often leave university behind after they receive their bachelor’s degrees, which means that the world of research is peopled far more by men than it is women. There’s a similar drop off in industry, where female representation shrinks as experience, seniority and pay cheques grow.
Two University of Alberta groups well aware of the demographics are holding a mixer to address the in equity head-on. The UA-WiSE/ WISEST Industry and Research Mixer will bring about 200 female undergraduates before role models, speakers, potential employers and others, Oct. 4. The mixer takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. at the second-floor solarium of the Engineering Teaching and Learning Complex at the U of A.
WISEST, or Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology, is
a university-based organization that works at increasing gender diversity through
a number of programs. And UA-WiSE is the university’s undergraduate and graduate organization
for women in science and engineering.
Industry and academia representatives, career counsellors and others have been
invited to the mixer. In addition to informal networking, the evening will feature
guest speakers — among them Gail Powley, P.Eng., the vice-chair of WISEST,
and Dr. Linda Pilarski, a professor in the U of A Department of Oncology and
the Tier I Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Nanotechnology.
For more information, contact Katie Krause, P.Eng., co-chair of the WISEST Student Liaison Committee, katie.krause@ualberta.ca. Any role models who would like to attend or support the event, call 780-405-5974.