News On Women

Yi So-yeon Becomes S. Korea's first Astronaut

South Korea announced that Yi So-yeon, a female bioengineering student, would become its first astronaut. Read more about it in the article by Choe Sang-Hun on nytimes.com. Image borrowed from space-travel.com.

Yale Professor Dr. Joan Steitz Speaking on Fulfilling Women's Potential in Science in New York on March 12,08

Dr. Joan Steitz, Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University, is speaking on "Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering" at Weill Auditorium, NYPH-Cornell Medical in New York on March 12,08. Read more about Dr. Steitz on yale.edu.

Girls the "Cyberpioneers of the Moment"

Stephanie Rosenbloom of the New York Times writes today of the "Cyberpioneers of the Moment" - teenage girls. More girls than boys blog, create webpages and work on websites for others according to this research. I am not sure I agree with the analysis in the article of why this is so, but I am glad to see it pointed out and hope it will encourage more girls to study math and science in the future. Read Stephanie's article on nytimes.com.

Center of Science and Industry CEO Kathryn Sullivan Speaks about her Trip through Space as an Astronaut on uctv

Women's Initiative at MIT Encourages Engineering

During the month of January, the Women's Intiative at MIT is encouraging young women to pursue a career in engineering. The group has 11 pairs of MIT female engineering students visiting high school girls in 11 different school districts throughout the country. The districts included this January are in Utah, Virginia, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, South Carolina, Arkansas, Montana, Hawaii, and Massachusetts. By doing this, the group hopes to increase the number of women enrolling in colleges as engineering majors. The Women's Initiative MIT student presenters try and motivate the high school girls to take the most challenging math and science courses offered in high school. Last year the group visited over 50 high schools reaching thousands of students. For more information about the program visit the Women's Initiative at MIT. We should all encourage the young women we know to study math, no matter what their career interests, since it is so important to many aspects of their lives.

Persis Drell Named Director of Stanford-based National Lab

Stanford University announced that Persis Drell is the new Director of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). Stanford operates the laboratory on behalf of the U.S. Dept of Energy's Office of Science. Persis is a Professor of Physics at SLAC, and has been Acting Director. Read more about it in the Stanford news announcement. Read more about Professor Drell's research in her bio on stanford.edu.

Alison Levine Close to Halfway Mark Journeying Across Antarctica

Alison Levine, an accomplished Adventurer and Explorer, is attempting to become the first American to follow a 574 mile route to the geographic South Pole inspired by Italian Explorer Reinhold Messner and is almost halfway across having completed 225 miles of the crossing. Alison, a former Goldman Sachs Executive, is Founder and President of Daredevil Strategies, a consulting firm specializing in organizational effectiveness and leadership development. Read more about Alison's achievements and adventures in the Business Wire press release. If you want to see some pictures and hear what Alison has to say as she crosses, read her blog from the bottom of the World. (Image borrowed from daredevilstrategies.com.)

Read about other women in the news on NewsonWomen.

Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen Among 2008 Winners of Wings Worldquest Awards

Wings Worldquest announced their 2008 Winners for the Women of Discovery Awards. Polar Explorers Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen (photo left) received the Women of Courage Award for being the first women to cross the Antartic landmass on foot. Read about the other women receiving awards this year on wingsworldquest.org. (Image of Liv Arnesen borrowed from livarnesen.com.)

Santona Pal of Corning Receives 2007 "Technical Innovation" Award

Larry Wilson of the Star-Gazette reports that six women from Corning Inc. will receive awards at the 12th National Women of Color Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Conference Nov1,07 in Atlanta. Santona Pal, Manager of Biosurfaces for Corning Life Sciences Development, will receive the "Technical Innovation Award". Read more about Santona and the other women receiving awards in Larry's article on star-gazette.com.

Sarah Lacy Named Technology Columnist for Businessweek.com

Businessweek.com appointed Sarah Lacy their Technology Columnist. Sarah has spent the last two years writing a book for Penguin Publishing on the new generation of internet moguls. Read more about Sarah in the business wire press release on yahoo.com.