The national conference
of the Graduate Women in Science
(GWIS) is planned for June 20-22 at the South Dakota School of Mines &
Technology in Rapid City. The GWIS Black Hills chapter is
hosting this year’s conference titled “Communicating Science to Connect, Lead,
and Empower."
The first GWIS chapter was established in 1921, and
today the organization has a global reach. Members of the press are welcome to
attend and speak with conference organizers about issues pertaining to the
mission of GWIS: “To build a global community that inspires, supports,
recognizes and empowers women in science. We accomplish that mission by staying
true to our three guiding principles: Connect, Lead, and Empower.” The
conference will be held at SD Mines’ Surbeck Center. A schedule of events can be
found here.
Conference
Highlights
•
Pre-conference events include: a scenic drive through the Black Hills, a
networking social at Prairie Berry Winery and a visit to Mt. Rushmore
• Science
Communication Workshop to enhance your science and engineering communication
skills. The workshop will guide attendees in effectively engaging audiences of
all ages in their area of expertise. This event is in collaboration with the
South Dakota Discovery Center and the NSF-funded Portal to the Public
• An
underground tour of the Sanford
Underground Research Facility located in Lead
• Multiple
opportunities to see rocks, minerals and fossils during tours of the Museum of
Geology at SD Mines.
Featured
Speakers:
• Cabot-Ann
Christofferson, liaison to Sanford Underground Research Facility for the
MAJORANA Demonstrator and research scientist at SD Mines.
• Tatewin
Means, executive director, Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation
• Dr.
Scyller Borglum, engineer with RESPEC; South Dakota House of Representatives,
District 32
• Dr. Laura
Chandler, director of the Center for Diversity and Community, University of
South Dakota
• Dr. Lisa
Kunza, associate professor, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biological
Sciences, SD Mines.
Featured
Communication Panelists:
• Dr.
Cheryl Chapman, vice president, Banner Associates, Inc.
• Jade
Herman, special projects coordinator, Office of the President at SD Mines.
• Dr.
Katrina Jensen, associate professor of chemistry, Black Hills State University
• Dr.
Namita Shrestha, instructor, University of Wisconsin - Platteville
• Dr. Rhea
Waldman, education director, South Dakota Discovery Center
Contact blackhills@gwis.org
for any questions.