Girls raised in Tennessee science (GRITS): Planning and preparing the future STEM workforce

CHED 126

Judith M. Iriarte-Gross, jiriarte@mtsu.edu and Karen Claud, karenclaud@hotmail.com. Department of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University, MTSU Box X161, Murfreesboro, TN 37132
The low rate at which women are entering the STEM pipeline in Tennessee is disturbing. The importance of education, training, and careers in STEM was noted by the Tennessee Economic Council on Women (TECW) in a 2005 report which stated that education and training are the keys to financial independence for women. However many Tennessee women can not find this education due to lack of information, lack of funding and lack of basic needs such as childcare and transportation. These findings hold true not only for Tennessee but for our nation. At Middle Tennessee State University, we have addressed these concerns by presenting an annual STEM conference for middle school girls called Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) in Science and Mathematics. We will discuss how we developed the MTSU EYH and present our future plans to disseminate information about STEM opportunities for Tennessee girls, their parents and teachers.
 

General Posters
7:30 PM-9:30 PM, Sunday, March 25, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Poster

Sci-Mix
8:00 PM-10:00 PM, Monday, March 26, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Sci-Mix

Division of Chemical Education

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007