Workshops lead women to science

Elizabeth O'Day, A&S '06, has aspired to be a biochemist since the seventh grade. On a recent visit to Braintree High School, she found most females to be disinterested in pursuing careers in science and technology. "Science is boring" and "Science isn't exciting enough" were among the most common responses given by students.

Stemming from the lack of interest expressed by students, O'Day became steadfast in her plan to expose young women to science in a way that is both exciting and educational. Having gained so much from her involvement in science, including multiple scholarships and an opportunity to study in India on a Fulbright grant, O'Day could not stand to see other young females have such apathetic views of science.

"When I saw this, I knew that I had to do something to give back," she said.

Almost a year since she first visited, O'Day presented the students of Braintree High with a solution. She formed the new Boston College initiative, "Women in Science & Technology" (WST), to bring 30 Boston area high school females, from three local schools, on campus to develop a greater interest in matters of scientific nature.

Participants are meeting each Saturday during the month of February for six hours, consisting of labs, discussions, and excursions overseen by O'Day along with BC faculty and undergraduate volunteers. O'Day believes the program will give participants a new appreciation for science, as well as an excellent network base among volunteers and females participating in the program.

This Saturday, students were treated to a discussion with Detective Lisa Homes of the Boston Police Department, who shared her personal experience as being one of 270 women currently employed by the BPD. Homes reminisced of the BPD in earlier years when it was unacceptable to have a female officer unaccompanied by a male counterpart. She also discussed how it felt to have only the opportunity to work on rape and domestic disturbance cases because of the Department's need to make use of her "female instincts."

Homes concluded by stressing the importance of having female perspectives on the force and encouraged students in attendance to maximize their potential, regardless of stereotypes in society. "I think it's great that females are becoming interested in scientific areas. It's becoming more acceptable for a female to be just as smart as or even smarter than a male," said Homes. She went on to recognize the program as being "the start of something good."

O'Day's ground-breaking initiative has already gotten state-wide recognition, including a recent feature in The Boston Globe. It is also being noticed by those who did not get to particpate. Many students said they had friends who wished that they could have taken part.

The initiative doesn't stand alone, with a number of national programs also dedicated to improving the disproportionate number of females involved in science. Work published by Brown University committed to ending this societal trend acknowledged that "narrow stereotypes" - conveyed through the media and society in general - are a large part of the problem. The publication, "Achieving Gender Equity in Science Classrooms," cites an instance where high school students were asked to draw an image which depicted a scientist at work. Most students chose to draw "nerdy" white men with beards, glasses, and white lab coats.

The research conducted by Brown University adds, "Knowing a scientist personally may make a woman much more likely to pursue her interests in the sciences."

O'Day and her team of volunteers will make an attempt at doing just that Saturday, when program participants will go to the Genzyme Corporation in Cambridge, Mass. to tour the facilities and to talk to female employees who have taken their scientific skills to corporate America. O'Day hopes that students will return with a greater understanding of the many applications of science and have been inspired by the women who work in the field.

Students also appear to be very pleased with the first two sessions of the month-long series and are optimistic that it will yield life-changing results.

Participants Debra Souffrant and Chichi Egesionu said, "In high school you lose interest in science; this program teaches you how valuable it can be. The labs and discussions are great. The program teaches you a lot about how important science is to our society and encourages us to take part in the scientific world." Both students would like to attend BC in the near future.

Feng Chan, A&S '06, is among one of the undergraduate volunteers who was selected to assist O'Day in the program. "I am very excited to be part of the program's inaugural series." Although Chan will graduate this spring, she hopes the program will go on and inspire many more young women.

Among the program's dedicated volunteers are noted BC professors such as chemistry department assistant chairperson Mary Roberts, who praised the program for its ability to have high school students academically influenced by people around their age group. Roberts said that she would love to see an entire month of campus-wide recognition for the program. She also commended O'Day for the success of the program.

O'Day stated that the program was made possible by the caring and enthusiastic organizations that have donated money and supplies to the WST initiative.

"Everyone I approached for donations was very eager and anxious to help," she said.

Donors of the program include BC-affiliated groups such as the Women's Council, BC Dining Services, the BC Career Center, and the Volunteer and Service Learning Center. Outside donors include Strem Chemicals. The donations have provided emerging scientists with lab materials, on-campus meals, transportation for weekend excursions, as well as T-shirts that represent the project.

Although O'Day graduates from BC this spring, she is confident that the program will be an annual event for BC due to its ability to give young females the opportunity to succeed in areas of science and the strong commitment to the initiative by younger undergraduate volunteers.