Announcements

CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN STEM FIELDS
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

The GRCC Women’s Studies Program announces our Women in STEM Fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) celebration, which will explore the education and career experiences of women in these fields. In addition to the local launch of Professor Maryann Lesert’s science-based novel, Base Ten, we will also host a visit by University of California’s Lick Observatory astronomer Dr. Elinor Gates and nationally prominent scholar Dr. Sue Rosser, whose many books chart the methodologies of fully opening these fields to women. We will also host panels of local women scientists and educators, as well as lectures by GVSU's Carolyn Shapiro-Shapin on “Research in Unlikely Places: Pearl Kendrick, Grace Eldering, and the Michigan Department of Health Laboratories,” our own Susan Williams on the history of women in science, volcanologist Tari Mattox on "Walking on Lava, a Volcanologist's Journey, as well as an important panel on "Agriculture after Monsanto," hosted by Nancy Jones Keiser.
Location: unless otherwise noted, all presentations will take place in the Applied Technology Center Auditorium (ATC 168), 151 Fountain Street NW.

Our schedule (More details at grcc.edu/stemevents)

LIBRARY DISPLAY FOR WOMEN IN STEM FIELDS

During the month of March, GRCC's Library & Learning Commons offers a pictorial display highlighting the careers of notable Grand Rapids Women scientists. The historical display, based on materials from the MI Women's Hall of Fame and GRCC's Archives, is located inside the LLC near the entrance. Notable women include botanist Emma Cole, Dr. Pearl Kendrick and Dr. Grace Eldering and Loney Clinton Gordon (whooping cough vaccine), and GR Junior College's own groundbreaking women faculty: Grace F. Ellis (Zoology); Wilma McCabe Marlowe (Anatomy/Chemistry); Marie Belle McCabe (Zoology/Anatomy); Theodora Quick (Mathematics) and Alma Seegmiller (Mathematics).


GRCC PROF PUBLISHES FIRST NOVEL IN FEMINIST PRESS’S
WOMEN WRITING SCIENCE SERIES

English Professor Maryann Lesert’s first novel, Base Ten, will be published in February 2009 as the first novel in the New York-based Feminist Press’s Women Writing Science Series. Maryann’s novel features women who have struggled in their personal lives and professional careers, which involve ground-breaking work as research astronomers. As part of her own research for her characters, Professor Lesert relied on interviews with national astronomers responsible for major discoveries in their fields; the novel also explores the difficulties encountered by women in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math).

NEW COURSE: THE HISTORY OF GENDER AND SEXUALITY (HS 225)

Professor Susan Williams has successfully completed course development for her new History of Gender and Sexuality course (HS 225). This history course will first be offered in Spring, 2010. It’s also a cognate in our Women’s Studies curriculum, and explores the development of concepts of gender and sexuality in Europe, with some discussion of the United States, from ancient Mesopotamian civilizations to the present. The course will focus on how and why gender was constructed while examining the general history of women and the family. Students will learn about the construction of masculinity and femininity and its implication to a variety of disciplines, as well as the interplay between politics, race, class, sexuality and gender in history.

GAIL BROWN PUBLISHES GUIDE
FOR NON-TRADITIONAL WOMEN STUDENTS

When English Department ESP Gail Brown enrolled in college for the first time at the age of 50, she could not find a book that addressed her specific needs as a non-traditional female college student. She drew on her past experience as a wife and step-mother, the shared events in the lives of her friends, and her personal experience as a first-time college student, and wrote Where are the Footnotes? A Guide for the Non-traditional Female College Student. By writing this book, she hopes to provide this growing student population with information and advice that can help them to become successful college students. The price of the book is $18.75 and it can be purchased through the author’s website at www.wherearethefootnotes.com.

VOLUNTEER WORK AND DONATIONS FOR
THE YWCA DOMESTIC CRISIS CENTER

The Fall and Winter Women’s Studies classes spent two evenings doing volunteer work at the YWCA’s Domestic Crisis Center and learned firsthand lessons in social justice and the problem of violence against women. We developed a campaign of collecting donated goods for the women and children, and through December 21 were able to deliver five station wagonloads of goods. The winter class is continuing these tasks in hopes of establishing an ongoing relationship with the Center, to the benefit of all.
If you wish to donate, visit the Crisis Center’s Wish List page
or contact David Cope (dcope@grcc.edu)

NOTES OF THANKS

The Women’s Studies Program and the Feminist Advisory Group wish to thank Provost Gilda Gely, Assistant Provost Patti Trepkowski, and the Interdisciplinary Studies Department for their help in making the Celebration of Women in STEM Fields possible. In addition, the faculty and students of Women’s Studies 200 want to extend special thanks to the YWCA Domestic Crisis Center’s Jen Timmer, and to Sharon Caldwell-Newton, Executive Director of the Women’s Resource Center, as well as the WRC’s computer expert, Ashima, for their gracious speeches and work demonstrating how women can empower themselves. We are indeed fortunate to have people like these in our community.

This page curated by David Cope. Contact: dcope@grcc.edu

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