UAlbany and Girls Inc. Launch Program to Steer Girls to Science and Math
Contact(s): Catherine Herman (518) 956-8150
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The UAlbany/Girls Inc. partnership will seek solutions to enrollment gaps in math and science as young women progress through the educational system. |
ALBANY, N.Y. (January 11, 2010) -- The University at Albany's Center for Women in Government and Civil Society (CWGCS) and College of Computing and Information Women in Technology (CCIWIT) will partner with Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region to launch the Girls Research & Information Network (GRIN), an electronic gateway that links users to policy documents, data, analysis, research and best practices in education and career-building for girls ages 8-18 in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
The University and Girls Inc. will host a day-long research and policy roundtable on Thursday, Jan. 28 in Albany to launch GRIN and examine and address the unique needs of girls in New York State.
While girls in the U.S. have closed the gender gap in science and math course testing and performance, as they progress through the educational system, the gap in math and science course enrollment widens.
"The lack of girls in the STEM pipeline has critical workforce implications for the U.S. It means that we are not effectively preparing half of the population for the demands of 21st century jobs and the global economy," said Dina Refki, director of CWGCS.
The roundtable will bring together more than 40 policymakers, educators, business representatives and researchers to identify information needs, prioritize actions and define a research agenda and public policy measures that can be taken to promote girls' advancement in STEM. Given the recent high-tech growth in New York's Capital Region, the roundtable will focus solely on the needs of girls living in the Capital Region.
Keynote speaker Marcia Kropf, COO of Girls Incorporated, will highlight the roundtable discussion. Jan Smith, principal of CASTLE ROCK RANCH GROUP, LLC and Judith Saidel, associate professor of public administration at UAlbany's Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, will address the policymakers and educators.
The GRIN Roundtable initiative was made possible with support from Pitney Bowes and Key Bank.
About the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society
CWGCS is a cornerstone of women's leadership development, an academic research center, and a policy think tank which generates knowledge and provides analysis on issues facing women and girls.
About the College of Computing and Information Women in Technology
CCIWIT is dedicated to supporting, empowering, and building community among female faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students. The program also encourages girls in middle school and high school to pursue undergraduate and graduate studies in the fields related to computer science, informatics, and information science. As a result, CCIWIT initiatives are designed to address the critical need to bridge the achievement gap and increase access for women to enter the male-dominated computing and information technology fields.
About Girls Incorporated
Girls Incorporated� of the Greater Capital Region inspires all girls to be strong, smart and boldSM. The organization has accomplished its mission since 1937 by providing educational and compensatory programs in six areas: Leadership and Community Action, Career and Life Planning, Sports and Adventure, Self-reliance and Life Skills, Culture and Heritage, and Health and Sexuality. Girls Incorporated�s award-winning programs are designed to meet the developmental and emotional needs of girls so that they can achieve their full potential
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