Graduate women support “Brain Power”

Photos courtesy of Jean Sumner and the WIN program
 
Women in Neuroscience members at their Celebration Night
 
Local high school girls learned a little more about the realities of a science career thanks to the Women in Neuroscience (WIN) program jointly developed by the WSU Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) and the Palouse Discovery Science Center (PDSC).
 
Twenty-five girls from the Pullman-Moscow area celebrated the completion of a 10-week course on “Brain Power”
at a special event held May 16 at the PDSC.  Participants displayed their new skills and knowledge concerning neuroscience by explaining the Brain Power! exhibits to their parents and members of the PDSC board of directors.
 
Jean Sumner, graduate student in psychology and co-founder of the Psi chapter of Graduate Women in Science, said the inaugural WIN program was “an amazing success.” “We wanted to encourage the girls to stay involved with science through community service and leadership, while recruiting much needed volunteers for the PDSC,” said Sumner.
 
“Many of the young women have conveyed their interest in continuing to help with new projects at PDSC as volunteers – as well as staying in touch with program mentors … through our new Facebook and blog groups,” she said. “We even are encouraging high school girls who did not participate in the program to join the Facebook site to meet other scientists.”
 
WIN was a brainchild of Kathy Dawes, education director at the PDSC, who had approached Sumner with the idea earlier this spring. Sumner, in conjunction with other Psi chapter GWIS members Rose Marie Larios and Huan Zhao, obtained funding for the program through a minigrant from the Northwest Girls Collaborative Project. http://www.pugetsoundcenter.org/ngcp/northwest/index.html Sumner said the group hopes to sponsor similar programs in the future.
 
 
GWIS member and WIN program leader, Rose Marie Larios
 
GWIS is a multidisciplinary group of scientists who encourage and support women in their careers. Membership is extended to anyone with a bachelor’s degree — faculty, staff, graduate students, etc.  
 
For more information, see http://gwis.wsu.edu/gwis.aspx

Next Story

Birthday wishes for WSU’s 134th

Washington State University was founded on March 28, 1890. To celebrate WSU’s 134th birthday, all campuses got involved.

Recent News

Provost finalists visiting the week of April 1

Finalists in the process of interviewing for the position of provost and executive vice president will present to the public during their visits to WSU next week.

McCoy named interim WSU athletic director

A widely recognized leader in intercollegiate athletics, McCoy will serve while a national search is conducted for the next athletic director.

WSU to review administrative structure

President Kirk Schulz used his annual State of the University Address to highlight both achievements and challenges while also announcing a planned review of WSU’s administrative structure and academic programs.