February 21, 2008
Women in Science Working Together for a Brighter Future
The University of Miami welcomes the 2008 Society for Women in Engineering Regional Conference
Coral Gables, FL – (February 21, 2008) The University of Miami Collegiate Section of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) will host their 2008 regional conference, Illuminations: Women Collaborating to Enlighten the World, from February 28 to March 2. The event is an occasion for 250 women engineers, from around the country, to exchange ideas and form networks of support and collaboration, as well as an opportunity for professional engineers to reach out to college and high school students that are considering a career in science.
The conference is an excellent complement to the University of Miami’s extraordinary engineering program, which attracts and retains young bright women interested in math and science. Currently, the University of Miami places in the top 10 institutions in the nation, in numbers of women in engineering -26 percent -well above the national average of 17 percent.
The event is supported by the University of Miami president Donna Shalala, whose commitment to the advancement of women in the sciences, was demonstrated, most recently, by chairing the committee for The National Academies on Maximizing the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering.
On Friday, February 29, Mayor of Coral Gables, Don Slesnick will attend a reception from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Coral Gables Country Club, 997 N. Greenway Drive, where Keynote speaker, Al Alfonso, Vice President for power distribution activities at Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), will speak to the audience.
The following day, on Saturday, March 1, there will be a luncheon where Director of Server and Storage Solutions Executive Advocate for Ford Motor Co, Maria Hernandez, will address the conferees. The event will be held at noon, at the University of Miami, in the Flamingo Ballroom of the University Center, 1306 Stanford Drive.
A Career Fair will also take place on Saturday, March1, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at UM’s University Center 1306 Stanford Drive. This event is free and open to University of Miami students.
That same day, Saturday, March1 there will be an outreach event for high school students participating in the Raising Interest in Science and Engineering (RISE) Program, a four year model program that combines the resources of the Miami Science Museum and the engineering community to advance educational opportunities for girls of color, grades 9-12. This will be a unique opportunity for the students, to see engineering as an exciting and promising career choice and for them to learn about the kind of preparation they need in this field. The event will take place from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00, at the University of Miami Coral Gables Campus, in room 170 at the Whitten Learning Center 5150 Brunson Drive.
For more information please contact Amanda Nurse at SWE2008d@gmail.com.
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The University of Miami’s mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of the diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world.
Media Contact:
Marie Guma-Diaz
m.gumadiaz@miami.edu
305-284-5500
