Organizational Meeting, AWIS-NWO, Monday, November 21, 2005, 4 PM, Bowman-Oddy 1031, UT campus. Notes by Interim Secretary Nancy Morrison, edited for the web. Present, from sign-in sheet: Amanda Haponski Research Assistant Cora Lind Assistant Prof. Chris Hinko Prof. Deborah Chadee Assistant Prof. Devinder Kaur Assoc. Prof. Laura Halpin Undergrad Karen Bjorkman Prof. Nancy Morrison Prof. Carol Stepien Prof./Director Brenda Snyder Part-time faculty Christine Mayer Assistant Prof. Connie Schall Assoc. Prof. Interim President Patricia Komuniecki (PRK) presided. Introductions all around. [Not everyone present signed the sheet; attendance was about 20 in all.] PRK said that more people wrote to inform her that they could not attend than actually attended. [Not in my notes, but PRK remarked several times on the logistical difficulties at AWIS National, which has its leadership in a Washington, DC office but carries out many daily activities in Texas. Problems in Texas are the explanation for our chapter not yet being listed on the National web site.] Ideas for chapter activities were invited. Email from a junior year undergrad, not present: " ... I found some of the ideas from www.awis.org. Here are my ideas ... * host a science day at UT for girl scouts and create experiment stations * at an AWIS meeting, invite a few women who are alums of UT to discuss their science careers * receive private donations or conduct fundraising to set up a scholarship fund for AWIS members * visit area schools to discuss careers in science * host a workshop for middle and high school science teachers * create a newsletter or website for our chapter * have some members of AWIS volunteer their time to be judges at middle and high school science fairs * do one on one mentoring with middle and high school girls * during breast cancer awareness month, in October, collect money to donate to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundaton I also came up with a few ideas to increase membership in AWIS * make flyers and put them around UT * make an announcement in the UT Daily * make an announcement in the Independent Collegian" The chapter could submit a proposal for a speaker series to the UT Excellence program, and PRK invited suggestions for prominent women scientists to be speakers and conduct activities with students. Lynn Margulis was here 23 years ago, and at that time she agreed to come back. Grants amount to ~$10k. Proposals are usually due in mid February. A member suggested a session for UT faculty on how to be a better mentor for women students. PRK again invited ideas for activities. Stepien: likes these ideas. Vestal: the professional societies to which she belongs have active women's committees. They conduct seminars on topics such as time management, how to manage large volumes of email, and unexpressed expectations for women faculty. A mentoring brown bag seminar could be held each semester. These are issues that men don't think about as much. Interest was expressed in the idea of working with the campus newspapers to do a story on the chapter/women in science. A student expressed an interest in learning more about science career issues. Should we hold a brown bag in the evening? 4 PM is not a good time for many people. What are good meeting times? Lunch? Several people suggested that meeting times should vary, because no one time will be good for everyone. The best day for a lunchtime meeting is Friday. An evening meeting time would be necessary to attract professionals [in business/industry]. In mid-February, there will be an overnight activity for girl scouts interested in science/engineering, maybe in the Rec Center. As an alternative to a high-profile scientist speaker, we could partner with departments to sponsor women colloquium speakers. Funds for travel expenses could be written into the Program for Excellence proposal. Bjorkman: the American Institute of Physics has a program to encourage departments to invite women speakers. If you invite two women during the year, the AIP will pay travel expenses up to $500 for one of them. Do other societies have similar programs? PRK introduced the new edition of the AWIS book _A Hand Up_, a guide to mentoring with mentoring stories. The chapter has a copy. AWIS may have funds for speakers. PRK is accumulating a personal library on women in science: AAUW - _How Schools Shortchange Girls_; _The Woman Scientist - Challenges for Successful Careers_. The authors of these books would be interesting speakers. PRK visited AWIS National HQ while in DC for a neuroscience conference. AWIS wants to be a voice in Congress. They have an ADVANCE award. She noted that there has never been a female Distinguished University Professor at UT and urged that we nominate someone. In general, she urged that faculty take opportunities to nominate women for recognition. She suggested that, for our next meeting, we aim for January. Others suggested late January. Hinko: likes the idea of mentoring middle school groups, underrepresented groups. Undergrads would be good as mentors. Stepien: suggests a speaker [name not given, since this person has not, to this writer's knowledge, agreed to come], a friend. Suggested an evening lecture followed by a reception at someone's home. Perhaps a March date after spring break. PRK will try to find funds. The date of the Sigma Xi symposium should be checked. Halpin: has given tours for girls from Upward Bound, grades 5-7. Admissions office, Leslie Rains, works with multicultural activities. PRK recalled that, under the auspices of the UWC, she once organized and chaired a panel on women in science, in which several solo women in their departments (at that time) participated. It was extremely well attended. Bjorkman: we should coordinate with the Eberly Center for Women. PRK: in fact, Patricia Murphy, the (interim?) director of the Center, is putting together a grant proposal on women in science. PRK: the AAAS annual meeting will be in St. Louis in February and will have a special session on women in science. It would be good to have someone attend and bring back ideas; wonders whether National might have funding available. Adjournment at about 5 PM.