Posted Dec. 7, 2015 in "Events"
Worcester chapter of Association for Women in Science to hold holiday social today
Networking in any profession is crucial – not only to
connect peers within the same industries and with the same interests, but to
spread knowledge and awareness about the newest achievements, advancements, and
career opportunities in their respective disciplines.
I, personally, really underestimated the power of
networking,” says Natalie Farny, an assistant teaching professor in biology and
technology at WPI. One of the most critical aspects of the process, she says,
is “meeting people who you didn’t even know whose help you needed. It will
really come back to you later.”
To that end, last winter, WPI launched a Worcester affiliate
group of the national Association for Women in Science (AWIS). Farny serves as
chair for the group, which has since amassed a mailing list of 120 local female
professionals, and has also hosted various events on different topics over the
last 12 months.
The chapter will celebrate its anniversary with a holiday
social from 4 to 6 p.m. today at Higgins House. The goal is to introduce the
group, talk about its successes and goals, and solicit help from the larger
community.
So far, “response has been great,” says Farny. “Attendance
at events has been really strong.”
The organization has a state-affiliated chapter in Boston,
but female WPI faculty, under the direction of Peterson Family Dean of Arts and
Sciences Karen Kashmanian Oates, launched in the hopes of having more local
representation.
So far, the group has held career workshops based around
work-life balance and leveraging STEM skills to manage personal issues, and has
also offered webinars on topics such as gender bias in the STEM industries.
The group’s next event, “New Year, New Plan,” will be held
from 4 to 6 p.m. On Jan. 20 in the Hagglund Room of the Rubin Campus Center.
Farny will offer an informal presentation with Patricia Stapleton, director of
WPI’s Society, Technology, and Policy Program and assistant teaching professor
in social science and policy studies, on the importance of developing a
five-year career plan.
Although so far many of the participants have been
professional women from WPI and UMass, overall, Farny explains, “the target is
not just academia, but professional women in science and engineering at all
career stages. We’re hoping to include as many people as we can from the area.”
Looking ahead, one goal is to offer more scientifically
focused events, such as a seminar series, symposiums, and data clubs—in
addition to continuing with career development programming. Another goal is to
ascend to the status of a full-fledged chapter, which would incorporate a
charter, dues collection, and a more formal overall organization structure.
“For that we need a lot of help,” says Farny, stressing the
importance of volunteers to take up leadership roles within the group. “There’s
a lot of interest in it, but we just really need people to make it happen.”
To learn more, contact Farny at nfarny@wpi.edu. Visit the national AWIS
website at awis.site-ym.com.
– BY TARYN PLUMB
Original story link.
