About BEWiSE
BE WiSE:
Better
Education for Women in Science & Engineering
A Program of the San Diego Science Alliance
BE WiSE makes a difference for talented young women who are encouraged to contribute to science and engineering professions. BE WiSE invites girls in grades 7 and 8 to Science Overnights to explore their interest in science, hosts events for BE WiSE alumnae in high school to encourage their selection of more courses in science and math, and exposes these girls to adult women scientists who share their knowledge and passion and experiences with science and engineering careers.
BE WiSE selects girls from all across San Diego County and has sustained contact with over five hundred girls over the past 12 years. The first BE WiSE alumnae entered college in June 2003.
BE WiSE Activities
Science Overnights introduce girls to Science
Imagine 40 middle school girls in grades 7 and 8 exploring an overnight scientific mystery adventure, including demonstrations, workshops and a hands-on project, all led by women who work in science every day. That’s a BE WiSE Science Overnight, which begins on Friday afternoon and continues until Saturday morning. BE WiSE girls must write an essay about the theme of the overnight and be recommended by their science teacher to be considered and then each overnight group is carefully assembled from different schools to encourage group bonding during the overnight. BE WiSE overnights can be located in any safe, sheltered location where science demonstrations and activities can take place, especially where women in science work everyday that enables behind-the-scenes tours and discussions of career information. Past locations include the Reuben H.Fleet Science Center, Birch Aquarium/SIO, Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute, Mission Trails Regional Park, San Diego Museum of Man, S.D. Zoological Society Institute for Conservation Research, The Water Conservation Garden, and the San Diego Natural History Museum.
Book gifts enhance Science Literacy
BE WiSE offers a lasting gift of science literacy by giving science books on the topic of the Science Overnight adventure to each girl. The BE WiSE Program donates these books to ensure that the excitement of exposure to science continues well beyond the one night’s adventure.
Follow-up activities sustain BE WiSE Alumnae interest
BE WiSE hosts more than 22 alumnae events each year for Alumnae in grades 8 - 12. Women scientists spend Saturday with BE WiSE girls investigating science phenomena and discussing opportunities in the fields of math, science and engineering.
Past alumnae events have been held at UCSD School of Engineering, San Diego Supercomputer Center, General Atomics, Dow Chemical Company Laboratories, San Diego Nature Center in Chula Vista, Mount Laguna, Mission Trails Regional Park. Legoland, Robotics Lab, Aquatic Adventures, Math for America, UCSD, San Diego Sheriff’s Crime Lab, SIO Viz Lab, UCSD Plant Biology Lab, S.D. County Veterinarian Facility, USD Engineering, Hubbs Sea World Research Institute, Miramar College, Biogen Idec Community Lab, NOAA Southwest Fisheries, Genoptix, CareFusion etc.
The Need for BE WiSE
Although women account for half of the population, only 23% of the employees in the science and engineering workforce are women (NSF, 2000). While most educators want to create gender-neutral environments for learning, both conscious and unconscious prejudices exist and discourage girls from male-dominated science and engineering courses. BE WiSE seeks to excite girls about science and to encourage girls to consider career opportunities in science and engineering.
10 Step BE WiSE Program
What does it take to create a BE WiSE program?
- Buy-in from science coordinators in the school district.
- Buy in from businesses that have jobs requiring science and math skills.
- Buy-in from museums, nature centers, aquariums, zoos and other informal science education centers.
- Formation of a steering committee and plan a science activity.
- Commitment from women to take charge of the science demonstrations and hands-on activities, and to chaperone.
- Tentative arrangements and cost for an overnight site, feeding the kids snacks, dinner and breakfast, and transportation.
- Funding for food, transportation, and site fee.
- Publicity to teachers and students.
- Legal stuff (parent permissions, insurance, etc.)
- Make it happen! !
Results
BE WiSE started in 1999 and has encouraged over 900 hundred girls to explore their interests in science. From BE WiSE surveys, we know that every girl knew more about science, every girl agreed that women can excel in science and engineering, 85% reported considering a career in science or engineering, and surprisingly, more than half planned to take a course that they would not have taken otherwise.
BE WiSE alumnae commonly report that they had “fun in learning” and that the program “really made me think about a career in science.” And we know BE WiSE inspires these girls who report “BE WiSE inspired me to enroll in an engineering class and that was the greatest thing I ever did” and who acknowledge the “wonderful women I have met.”
Letters from parents further amplify the effect BE WiSE has on their daughters because “my daughter thoroughly enjoyed and learned so much from the BE WiSE programs” and “showing how to mentor others who come after her, which is desperately needed in both the working world and in the school to career transition.”
Alumnae Testimonial
Hello, my name is Susan Rodgers. I was one of the students who was lucky enough to take part in the "Who Dunnit?" sleepover and the Field day at Mission Trails . . . what a great time I had at those outings and what a lucky person I am to have experienced them, considering they have had a major impact on my life.
You may be wondering how they impacted my life so greatly. Well, after the first outing I was inspired to enroll in an engineering class my first semester at Granite Hills High School. That was the greatest thing I ever did. The class has been the most wonderful experience of my entire school year. I have you and all of the BE WiSE to thank for directing me down the path of engineering . . . BE WiSE has always been a wonderful help and inspiration for me. I have remembered all the wonderful women I have met at the outings. They have helped me to work in an environment where the majority of the students are male (actually I am the only girl in the entire class). Thank you for being such an inspiration.
Project Funders
The project has received funding from:
Biogen Idec Foundation, Boston Scientific Foundation, Dr. Suess Foundation, General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation, Girard Foundation, Leo S. Guthman Fund, Todd and Mari Gutschow Family Foundation, Hewlett Packard, Hughes Network Systems, Mc Carthy Foundation, Mission Federal Credit Union Community Foundation, Nokia Inc., Northrop Grumman, Oracle Foundation, Pfizer Inc., Qualcomm, Inc., SDG&E - A Sempra Energy Utility, San Diego National Bank, Sea World of San Diego, SONY, The Winter Group, TRW, San Diego Science Alliance, Woman’s Foundation of S.D. & Zoological Society of San Diego. Additional support from: AWIS, SWE, SDCOE, SDCS.
A Final Word
All of us associated with this project are enthusiastic about its success and potential for San Diego County students. We are confident we will continue to receive support from the school, business and community to maintain this exciting project.
Contact:
Patricia Winter, BEWiSE Project Director
patriciawinter09@gmail.com
(858) 454-7622
