WFU Helps Women Surf for Science/Math Careers

To give young women a chance to interact with women role models in technical fields, a Wake Forest education professor and an academic computing specialist have teamed up to offer “telementoring” workshops Jan. 9-10 and 13-14.

Students from Paisley Math and Science Academy will use the internet to communicate by E-mail with prominent women scientists, engineers, mathematicians and computer scientists. In the two-day workshop, the seventh- and eighth-grade students will discuss the responses they get from the women. They also will use the internet to research famous women throughout history who have been pioneers in math and science.

The workshops run from 8:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.

“These girls have all the career choices in the world,” said Leah McCoy, a Wake Forest education professor who specializes in math education and technology. “We want to make sure they are aware of this and see role models of women who are achieving in technical areas. We hope that this will spark interest in pursuing careers in math and science.”

McCoy and Beth Boyd, an academic computing specialist, developed the workshop with a grant from the North Carolina Association for Educational Communications and Technology

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