FairerScience Weblog tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2 2010-03-10T23:11:05Z Movable Type 3.2 There was no snow so Pat was "on the hill" Friday tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.445 2010-03-10T22:13:28Z 2010-03-10T23:11:05Z Thanks to the American Youth Policy Forum, our session "A Comprehensive Approach to Success in Education and Careers for Out-of-School Youth" went really well. Why am I telling you this? Well first I'm bragging but second I'm really excited that... Pat Thanks to the American Youth Policy Forum, our session "A Comprehensive Approach to Success in Education and Careers for Out-of-School Youth" went really well.

Why am I telling you this? Well first I'm bragging but second I'm really excited that we have a model that really works for young people who dropped out of school and who still want to learn. In less than half a year, students increased their literacy skills almost two years worth and their math skills more than one year's worth.

That's nice you say, but why are you writing about this for FairerScience? I'm writing this because you need to know that there is no science in these programs-- heck there is no science in these kids' lives. We talk a lot about science in kids' lives, but our disconnected youth, those who dropped out or were pushed out of school aren't on our science screen. That needs to change

]]> Mason's Great Adventure tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.448 2010-03-10T14:27:08Z 2010-03-10T14:48:21Z So what do you do when you're single, laid off and in need of an adventure? Well , if your FairerScience friend, Mason, you go on a great adventure. You can follow Mason and his dog Max on their adventure... Pat So what do you do when you're single, laid off and in need of an adventure? Well , if your FairerScience friend, Mason, you go on a great adventure. You can follow Mason and his dog Max on their adventure over at the aptly named, at Mason's Great Adventure.

]]> Scientae is up tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.446 2010-03-02T17:43:47Z 2010-03-02T17:48:34Z That's right; this month's Scientae is up, so run right over to A Lady Scientist's and check it out! Amanda did the illustrated edition of continuity-- it's fabulous!... Pat That's right; this month's Scientae is up, so run right over to A Lady Scientist's and check it out! Amanda did the illustrated edition of continuity-- it's fabulous!

]]> Continuity tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.444 2010-02-27T23:22:57Z 2010-02-28T01:43:19Z So the theme for this month's Scientiae is continuity. BTW thanks Amanda for hosting this month. As I was thinking about what to write about continuity, I realized that I'm going to have to get all academic on you. Don't... Pat So the theme for this month's Scientiae is continuity. BTW thanks Amanda for hosting this month.

As I was thinking about what to write about continuity, I realized that I'm going to have to get all academic on you. Don't worry it won't be painful and you may even find it interesting.

So let me tell you about Eric Jolly and my Trilogy of Student Success.

There are three pieces to the trilogy (ok yes it's a trilogy; guess that there are three pieces may not be a surprise). The pieces are:

Engagement Having an orientation to the sciences and/or quantitative disciplines that includes such qualities as awareness, interest and motivation.

Capacity Possessing the acquired knowledge and skills needed to advance to increasingly rigorous content in the sciences and quantitative disciplines.

and oh yes, the theme of this month's Scientaie, Continuity: Institutional and programmatic opportunities material resources and guidance that support advancement to increasingly rigorous content in the sciences and quantitative disciplines.


Why am I making you read this? Because I want to make it clear that interest (engagement) and skills (capacity) are not enough to make it as a woman in science. For pretty much all of us it does take a village-- kids do need institutional and programmatic opportunities, material resources and guidance in order to make it. In real language that means:
you don't know what a scientist does; you probably won't want to be one;
you don't know that just taking the SAT isn't enough; you don't take the content tests, you don't get into the best colleges;
your high school has no AP courses; you don't get into the best colleges;
no one helps you with financial aid; heck you may not go to college at all.

So yes-- convincing kids, even very, very smart kids, that STEM is for them is not enough- indeed in many ways it is what Paul Tsongas called a cruel hoax. If we truly want to diversify STEM, then we all need to be in it for the long run. We need, well yes, continuity.

PS If I've totally enthralled you with the trilogy--you can always read the long version.

here for more information or here to nominate a story:

I know you have some stories-- consider submitting them and heck send them to me too-- would love to post some. And oh yeah you know the rules no names unless the person the story is about let's me know it's ok to use her/his name.

]]> Pat's at AAAS tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.441 2010-02-22T16:38:46Z 2010-02-22T17:18:07Z Ok actually I was at the 2010 AAAS annual meeting in San Diego. I got back late last night and reorientated to snow. While I was there I presented on how NSF's Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professorate (AGEP)... Pat Ok actually I was at the 2010 AAAS annual meeting in San Diego. I got back late last night and reorientated to snow. While I was there I presented on how NSF's Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professorate (AGEP) has led to dramatic increases in the annual number of STEM PhDs awarded to underrepresented minorities (URMs). And it has.

In the past 8 years, institutions in the 19 AGEP Alliances increased the numbers of their URM PhD recipients in All Natural Sciences and Engineering by 49% (from 377 to 563).

Now we need to get those numbers much higher but a 49% increase isn't too shabby especially when the rates of increases for URMs are higher than for other US students. AGEP really is reducing the gaps while all gain. YES!

And oh yes you can read all about it here.
.

]]> Girly and geeky, together at last tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.440 2010-02-16T15:43:57Z 2010-02-17T21:26:25Z Isn't that a great title? How I wish I had thought of it, but Kate Harding beat me to it in her "tale of two women who found science and math right in the heart of Girlsville". Quoting Boing Boing... Pat Isn't that a great title? How I wish I had thought of it, but Kate Harding beat me to it in her "tale of two women who found science and math right in the heart of Girlsville".

Quoting Boing Boing which was quoting Sherry Turkle's book Falling for Science, (Gotta love the web), Kate tells the story of computer scientist Christine Alvarado's mathematical awakening -- which involved a My Little Pony.

I had several small plastic Ponies that I used to play make-believe with my friends. But I had one larger, plush My Little Pony, a bright-green stuffed horse with a vivid pink mane and tail that I played with all by myself. I would sit for hours on my own, braiding and rebraiding its tail. I developed a system for braiding the tail of my Pony that taught me about mathematical concepts-- from division to recursion.

And if that's not happy making enough, Kate goes on to tell us the story of science writer Linda Geddes wedding which included biology experiments, a white princess dress, a tiara and a color scheme,

And when Kate concludes:

Some girls think My Little Ponies are dead boring and some women think big, white weddings are, and they certainly shouldn't be pressured into faking interest for the sake of the status quo. But neither should kids and adults of any gender who love traditionally feminine things and traditionally masculine intellectual pursuits be expected to see those loves as contradictory.

I start to swoon

Hat tip to FairerScience friend Kathryn Campbell-Kibler for sharing this.

]]> Scientaie is back (ok not that it was ever really gone) tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.439 2010-02-16T03:14:12Z 2010-02-16T14:08:57Z There has been some talk about the future of Scientiae and I'm delighted to tell you it's baaaack. Amanda over at A Lady Scientist is hosting and the theme is "continuity". So my friends start writing and e-mail Amanda a... Pat There has been some talk about the future of Scientiae and I'm delighted to tell you it's baaaack. Amanda over at A Lady Scientist is hosting and the theme is "continuity".

So my friends start writing and e-mail Amanda a permalink to your posts to scientiaecarnival [a] gmail [dt] com by 11:59pm on February 27th.

]]> It was raccoons tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.438 2010-02-13T15:12:42Z 2010-02-13T15:59:09Z Back in June, I posted asking you all for your advice as to who might be "stealing" our compost. Catherine suggested raccoons and at least for the compost heap, she was right. The other day Tom looked out his office... Pat Back in June, I posted asking you all for your advice as to who might be "stealing" our compost. Catherine suggested raccoons and at least for the compost heap, she was right.

The other day Tom looked out his office window and saw 1, 2, 3 fat raccoons at the compost heap. After months dining out of our compost heap, they should be fat. FairerScience friend Seth Campbell-Mortman suggested we name them "Black" "White" and "Bushy" (for their tails).

Somehow Black, White and Bushy pried the compost heap door fame off the base. To get at the compost food, they lift the whole door frame up, take out what they want (they love lobster shells and corn cobs) and then carefully put the door frame back so we can't tell it's been moved.

Unlike most magic tricks, this one is even more impressive once it is explained. Now if we can just figure out how they pried the door frame off the base without leaving any clues..... .

]]> Introduce Barbie to Engineering Day tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.437 2010-02-12T21:53:56Z 2010-02-13T15:01:29Z I was going to write about Thursday being Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day but hey Barbie, a computer engineer-- how can I resist posting about that? Yes Barbie, that Barbie. According to Wired, Barbie the computer engineer has glasses... Pat I was going to write about Thursday being Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day but hey Barbie, a computer engineer-- how can I resist posting about that?

Yes Barbie, that Barbie.

According to Wired, Barbie the computer engineer has glasses and a Bluetooth earpiece. She's wearing a t-shirt featuring a binary code t-shirt and has a smart phone and carries, a laptop case.

Progress??? Regression??? Leggings? Oh wait as a Go Fug Yourself fan I know that leggings are so so wrong. And oh yes soooo wrong too are Barbie's proportions compared to any woman alive even Twiggy or Fergy.

It's been a long long week -- so you all are going to have decide- should I be outraged? or not pleased? or neutral? or happy? Ok if you vote for happy, you are going to have to explain why..

BTW Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is part of National Engineers Week and there are lots of cool resources including a bunch of hands-on activities.

Thanks (well sort of thanks--did I mention it has been a long week and computer engineer Barbie didn't exactly make it easier?) to FairerScience friend David Mortman for letting me know about Barbie as computer engineer.

]]> Thank you Susan tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.436 2010-02-08T18:09:17Z 2010-02-08T18:23:57Z Susan Bailey and I started FairerScience low these many years ago (ok it was four and half years ago but some days it seems that FairerScience has always been part of my life--which by the way is a good feeling!)... Pat Susan Bailey and I started FairerScience low these many years ago (ok it was four and half years ago but some days it seems that FairerScience has always been part of my life--which by the way is a good feeling!)

Susan has spent her life making the world a better place for women and girls including spending the last 25 years directing the Wellesley Centers for Women. Well Susan has just announced that she is going to retire at the end of the year. Wellesley will miss her greatly; I on the other hand won't because I'm planning to get to see her more after she retires.

I'm sure there will be many celebrations of Susan in the months to come but I wanted to get things started early. Thank you Susan for all you've done for us all. I'm looking forward to seeing where your next great adventure will take you and to being along for a part of the ride.

]]> Whoops I forgot to mention that I'm on vacation this week tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.435 2010-01-27T23:11:12Z 2010-01-31T17:40:04Z We are staying with friends who live here . Well not in those buildings but a couple of blocks away. Promise to tell more when we return... Pat We are staying with friends who live here . Well not in those buildings but a couple of blocks away. Promise to tell more when we return

]]> Pat's on the hill tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.434 2010-01-23T02:45:19Z 2010-01-23T03:01:29Z I'll be doing a American Youth Policy Forum on the Hill (yes THAT Hill) on 2/8 on the results of our work with returning dropouts A Comprehensive Approach to Success in Education and Careers for Out-of-School Youth The Community Education... Pat I'll be doing a American Youth Policy Forum on the Hill (yes THAT Hill) on 2/8 on the results of our work with returning dropouts

A Comprehensive Approach to Success in Education and Careers for Out-of-School Youth

The Community Education Pathways to Success (CEPS) model targets out-of-school youth who have expressed interest in earning a GED by addressing low literacy and math skills through an integration of youth development, social supports, and career-related services. The CEPS model, in partnership with community-based organizations, supports participants through completing their education, entering college, finding working, and contributing to their communities. This forum will provide an overview of the model, discuss results from a recently released evaluation, and provide recommendations for policy.

http://www.aypf.org/forumbriefs/2010/fb020810.htm

I know it's not the FairerScience usual thing, but when you think about it, it really is. Anyway I'm really excited about the findings and would appreciate it if you would pass the information on to others who might be interested

Date: Monday February 8, 2010

Time: 11:45am- 1:30pm
Location: Capitol Hill, TBA

If folks are interested in attending they should contact jlerner@aypf.org

and while there won't be Pat's fabulous homemade chocolate chip cookies for everyone there-- there will definitely be cookies for any and all FairerScience friends who are there.

and if you are not going to show up-- I know parking is very difficult-- you can at least read the report.

]]> Barbie tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.433 2010-01-23T01:29:46Z 2010-01-23T01:39:28Z Now that's a title you never expected to see here at FairerScience-- but hey you have a chance to vote for Barbie's next career. The choices: environmentalist, surgeon, computer engineer, news anchor and architect. While I'm tempted to vote on... Pat Now that's a title you never expected to see here at FairerScience-- but hey you have a chance to vote for Barbie's next career. The choices: environmentalist, surgeon, computer engineer, news anchor and architect. While I'm tempted to vote on the potential outfits -- What would a Barbie environmentalist wear? Could Barbie do 12 hours of surgery on feet that only fit into really high heels? But instead I think I'll write in a vote for women in science blogger (why not-- Isis does it in really high heels) .

]]> Brought to you as a public service tag:www.fairerscience.org,2010:/fs-blogs//2.432 2010-01-21T20:13:15Z 2010-01-21T20:20:56Z Here are the top passwords Imperva found among those compromised in the attack (they were posted online, without identifying details, for the world to see--and analyze): 1. 123456 2. 12345 3. 123456789 4. Password 5. iloveyou 6. princess 7. rockyou... Pat Here are the top passwords Imperva found among those compromised in the attack (they were posted online, without identifying details, for the world to see--and analyze):

1. 123456
2. 12345
3. 123456789
4. Password
5. iloveyou
6. princess
7. rockyou
8. 1234567
9. 12345678
10. abc123

If any of those look too familiar, please stop reading this story and change your password now. No none of these are my passwords--FairerScience friend David Mortman would be very very very upset with me if any of them were.

Big hat tip to PC World for this.

]]>