The Center for Women in Science and Mathematics

Mission: The Center will, educate, support, and promote women as leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Undergraduate Programs

1. Speaker Series
2. Undergraduate Research, Internships and Mentoring
3. Competitions
4. Other Meredith Programs (Agile Grant, Broadening Participation in Computing)
5. Partnerships (Shodor)

Outreach Programs and Events

1. K-12 Outreach
2. Teacher Education

Undergraduate Programs:

2005-06 Speaker/Seminar Series

Diverse scientific topics with wide appeal will be the hallmark of the seminar series. Speakers will provide a broad view of the advances in their fields, appropriate for a general audience.

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Undergraduate Research -- Support from various sources--

Meredith College offers opportunities for students to participate in one-on-one research with faculty. The Undergraduate Research Program also supports supplies and equipment for research and student travel to conferences where their accomplishments are presented.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute Grant

Meredith College is a charter member and current participant on this grant administered by NCSU to fund Summer Research Interns. These are competitive awards and two or three Meredith students participate each summer.

Paschal Scholars Program

Funded by NSF through the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE)

This program provides scholarships for academically talented students in the areas of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics for those who have demonstrated financial need. GlaxoSmithKline Women in Science Scholars The Women in Science program pairs outstanding undergraduate women in North Carolina Colleges and Universities with GlaxoSmithKline women scientists. The scientists mentor the students to pursue scientific study while showing them first hand what it takes to succeed in science.

Competitions:

Vivian Kraines Mathematical Competition

The Vivian Kraines Mathematics Competition requires only a logical and creative mind and is open to all freshmen and sophomores at Meredith College. The winner is awarded a small scholarship and mathematics book are given to the next highest performing students.

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Mathematical Contest in Modeling

The Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM) is an annual competition offered by COMAP (the Consortium on Mathematics and its Applications), a national organization with the goal to create learning environments where mathematics is used to investigate and model real issues in our world. Meredith College has sponsored a team of three students for the last several years with the competition held on a designated weekend in February.

International Programming Contest

Meredith sends teams of students to the ACM International Programming Contest. On the second Saturday every November, thousands of students all over the world race each other to write programs to solve specified problems. Teams that complete the most programs in the timeliest manner go on to the finals in the spring. Meredith College has been sending a team since 2000.

Other Meredith Programs:

Agile Programming (Computer Science)

Meredith is participating in an NSF grant with North Carolina State University (NCSU) to study Agile Methods for teaching Computer Science. Agile Methods are new techniques for software engineering and with this grant we are particularly interested in how Agile Methods can make courses more enticing for women and minorities.

The Stars Alliance: A Southeastern Partnership for Diverse Participation in Computing

Funded by the National Science Foundation Broadening Participation in Computer Science Program

Meredith will participate with 11 other colleges and universities in the southeast to work collaboratively on effective practices for recruiting, bridging, and graduating into computing disciplines women, under-represented minorities, and persons with disabilities. Meredith students will participate in computing-related civic engagement, mentoring, professional development and undergraduate research experiences.

Partnerships:

Partnership with the Shodor Foundation

Funded by various grants

The Shodor Foundation’s purpose is to advance science and math education through the use of computational science, modeling and technology. Meredith students have opportunities with the Shodor Foundation to participate in internships and undergraduate research projects.

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Outreach Programs and Events:

K-12 Programs:

Math Mentoring http://www.womenandmathmentoring.org/

Monthly Activities in the Spring Semester
Audience: Eighth grade girls from Wake County and Durham County Public Schools Partially funded by Genworth Financial

The Math Mentoring Program links small groups of 2-3 eighth-grade girls with local female professionals from mathematics-related fields through monthly interactions and activities during the second semester of the school year.

Sonya Kovalevsky Day

Two Fridays in the Spring Semester at Meredith College
Audience: Eighth grade girls from Wake County
Partially funded by Genworth Financial

Sonya Kovalevsky Day inspires middle school girls to get excited about math and science by providing them with a look at career opportunities and engaging them in fun and challenging math-related activities.

Girls on Track http://ontrack.ncsu.edu/

One or two-week summer day program
Audience: Middle school girls
Funding originally from NSF and now from a variety of sources

Girls on Track (GoT) investigate community problems using computer technologies, engage in sports algebra and other math and science enrichment activities to keep interests in math and science and expand career horizons.

Science Camp

One-week summer residential camp
Audience: Middle school girls
Funded by Progress Energy

Middle school girls experience science through hands-on activities, and share and expand their scientific curiosity with other girls their age. Science activities are taught in Meredith's modern science and math facility by experienced master teachers and Meredith faculty.

Math Week at Meredith http://www.meredith.edu/mathcamp/

One-week summer residential camp
Audience: Young women entering 10th grade Prior
Funding from the Tensor Foundation, Progress Energy, and the Consortium for Calculus Reform in Higher Education

Math Week at Meredith is a one-week residential camp that consists of morning mathematics sessions, afternoon field trips and guest presenters, evening activities in the dormitories, and a culminating project they present to their parents on the last day of camp.

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Teacher Education:

Teaching Excellence in Mathematics (TEAM II)

Funded by National Science Foundation (NSF)

"Teaching Excellence and Mathematics" supports K-6 teacher leadership development for 56 teachers from across North Carolina to promote their increased knowledge of mathematics, to support a variety of leadership roles, and to lead professional development for other teachers across the state.

Science, Technology and Mathematics Partnership (STAMP)

Funded by the Department of Education through the NC Department of Public Instruction

The STAMP project is a partnership among Roanoke Rapids Graded School District, Asheboro City Schools, and Meredith College. "Science, Technology and Assessment Integrated with Mathematics Partnership" will provide professional development for middle and high school teachers in science, mathematics, and technology during the three years of the grant.

Introductory Biotechnology Workshop for Middle and High School Teacher

Funded by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center

This grant funds a five-day workshop during the 2006 summer for 20 middle and high school science teachers. Workshop content will specifically target those teaching the North Carolina standard 8th grade science curriculum. Teachers attending the workshop will receive training in use of the NC Biotechnology Center’s reservable equipment and will qualify for the Center’s Free Laboratory Supplies Program.

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