Northern New Mexico girls learn about math, science through Expanding Your Horizons program

Contact: Steve Sandoval, steves@lanl.gov, (505) 665-9206 (03-032)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., March 5, 2003 -- An estimated 150 teenage girls from around Northern and Central New Mexico will discover the wonderment of math and science as participants in the national Expanding Your Horizons program March 11 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church Parish Hall in Los Alamos.

During the all-day event, students in grades eight through 10 will take part in small hands-on workshops presented by scientists, engineers and professionals from Los Alamos National Laboratory and around the area. Workshops will include demonstrations on a variety of subjects, ranging from computers to chemistry, and forestry to medicine. Participants also will participate in a group activity called "Anthropology through Trash."

The anthropology project is based on research from the University of Arizona, said Georgia Pedicini of the Laboratory’s High Performance Computing Group. Pedicini is chair of this year’s EYH program. She said the idea of the assignment is to show participants that anthropologists have very little to work with when solving the mysteries of ancient civilizations.

Members of the EYH committee in Los Alamos have been collecting garbage for the participants to sift through. Such items include envelopes, empty cans that have been cleaned and tubes of toothpaste. These pieces of trash will give EYH participants clues as to how people live, such as what kind of jobs people have and what they do in their spare time, said Pedicini.

The program is intended for girls who already show an interest in math and science as well as those who are uncertain about their career paths. It also provides young girls the opportunity to meet and form personal contact with women working in traditional male occupations, said Pedicini.

Julie Canepa of the Laboratory’s Health, Safety and Radiation Protection Division will deliver this year’s keynote address. In her talk, “From Chemistry to Cleanup,” Canepa will discuss her journey through the study of traditional science to the leadership of complex environmental projects.

Schools in Northern and Central New Mexico can nominate five to seven girls to attend the EYH at Los Alamos, or girls can fill out a registration from at http://lawis.lanl.gov/eyh online.

In addition to activities for students, teachers can learn new techniques for teaching science to young women. Morning workshops will focus on gender equity, with classroom demonstrations scheduled in the afternoon. Teachers attending the workshops must have a student enrolled in the event.

The Los Alamos chapter of Expanding Your Horizons is sponsored by the New Mexico Network for Women in Science and Engineering and the Los Alamos Women in Science.

The New Mexico Network for Women in Science and Engineering is a nonprofit organization with a membership of more than 100 female scientists and engineers who volunteer their time and energy to ensure that young people, especially young women, have access to information on exciting and meaningful careers in the sciences and engineering, according to the EYH committee.

Students must register in advance and registration is continuing.

For more information and to register for Expanding Your Horizons contact Lisa Colletti of Los Alamos’ Actinide Analytical Chemistry Group at 667-9621 or write to lcolletti@lanl.gov, by electronic mail.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, developing technical solutions to reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.