Women+Math = Good turnout

Friday, Nov. 20, 2009

Click here to enlarge this photo Taylor Yellman, 15, a sophomore at Leonardtown High School, who is interested in pursuing a career in the medical field, prepares an insulin intravenous bag at the pharmacy workshop led by CSM professor Dr. Ellen Wilson during the Women+Math event at the College of Southern Maryland La Plata campus. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

The message from professional women to area teenage girls, teachers and parents at the Women + Math Conference held at the College of Southern Maryland's La Plata campus was to take as many math classes as possible in high school and to learn to network with peers and professionals who share similar passions and goals.

"Young women are sometimes unaware of the many exciting careers that they can pursue using math skills," said CSM professor of math Sandra Poinsett, in a press release.

Poinsett, along with peer math instructors Mary Bilmanis and Stephanie McCaslin began the conference five years ago, "Putting the girls together with successful women who have exciting jobs might inspire them to pursue similar careers — maybe in fields they hadn't thought of before."

"It is sometimes hard for kids to see the baby steps that people take to get where they are," Cia Morey, who brought her daughter Ally, 14, a freshman at La Plata High School, to the conference, said in the press release. "Here, they can see what you can achieve by being good at math."

Young women from as far away as Loudoun County and Colonial Beach, Va., and a diverse group of successful women from as far away as Manhattan, met Oct. 17 to discuss careers in finance, architecture, engineering, pharmacy, health and computer science, astrophysics and cybersecurity — careers that many young women may not consider for themselves.

A panel discussion, beginning with introductions and brief bios from each presenter, included, Mellan; Melissa Olson-Worrell from Naval Surface Warfare Center; Cristina Campbell from Maryland Occupational Safety and Health; Felicia Jones-Selden from NASA; CSM professor and pharmacist Dr. Ellen Wilson; CSM professor and radiologist Dr. Melanie Osterhouse; program manager, Gun Propellant Development Dr. Chris Michienzi from Naval Surface Warfare Center; mechanical engineer Mary Sherlock from Naval Surface Warfare Center; Christine Parker from Parker Financial; CSM computer science professor Renee Jenkins; professor of cybersecurity Julie Ryan from George Washington University; and architect Diane Kaufman Fredette of the Pratt Institute.