Promoting careers in math and science
<p>SHAWN GUST/Press Destiny Maser, right, and Kelsey Creamer, both sophomores at Coeur d'Alene High School, work together to gather reading during a science lab exercise Tuesday at the University of Idaho extension in Coeur d'Alene. Approximately 100 high school girls participated in the science, technology, engineering and math program aimed at encouraging young women to peruse careers in these fields.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Girls who like science were out in force Tuesday on the Lake City's higher education campuses.
There were 150 teens, all students from high schools in the Coeur d'Alene, Lakeland and Post Falls school districts, who attended the fourth annual "Women in Science" event held at the University of Idaho's Harbor Center and at North Idaho College.
Rachel Molsee, a new science teacher at Coeur d'Alene High School, brought 16 students to the Harbor Center.
"I think it's good to see those role models, those women up front who are sharing their stories, telling how they've done it and you can, too," Molsee said. "They get to see the peer support also."
The program aims to inspire young women to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses in high school and college.
Molsee was a student herself not long ago. She studied biology and education at the University of Idaho and graduated last year.
The event is sponsored by U-Idaho, NIC and the Idaho IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence, INBRE.
The 150 high school participants donned lab coats and safety goggles to conduct various lab experiments.
Charlene Gibson, lab manager at the University of Idaho's Harbor Center, holds a degree in molecular biology.
While there are more men working in the field of science, Gibson said as she's grown older, more and more women have begun working in the field.
Recent data from the National Science Foundation shows women make up 42 percent of the science and engineering workforce in the U.S. In 1999, women accounted for just 24 percent.
While the number of females going into science fields has grown dramatically in the past decade, women are still underrepresented in the physical sciences - chemistry, physics, math, and earth sciences. Less than 30 percent of chemists and physicists are women.
Mackenzie Phillips, a sophomore at Coeur d'Alene High School, said she's considering a career as a veterinarian or as a professional golfer.
By attending Tuesday's event, the 15-year-old said she discovered that college seems like it might be more fun and interesting than it seems.
"It's not what I expected," Phillips said.