Those who create, rather than choose, futures Women in Science Symposium showcase career possibilities by Zobia Chunara Women in Science Symposium (WSS), hosted by the Chicago Council on Science and Th Technology on Saturday, May 12, 2012, took place at the Northwestern Memorial Wom- en’s Prentice Hospital The Student Newspaper of Northside College Prep HS The scene inside, located at 303 E. Supe- June 2012, Volume 12, Number 9 rior, did not at all hint at the dreary, icy day Dr. Singh, Dr. Pauline Maki, and Dr. Gilliam are answering audience questions. | ZOBIA CHUNARA Online at www.thehoofbeat.com in May. The lobby was filled with a hustle and bustle as women sat around tables, eating cause people remember what you have done “Women do not get patented nearly as breakfast that the symposium served at 8:30 in administrative roles; seek input and strive much as men and women are underrepresent- Summer Latin a.m. Across from the entrance was a line of for transparency; grow a thick skin; stay sane. ed in technology ventures…” Viges said. “Ac- tables, filled with pamphlets, brochures, ap- The most important bit of wisdom that she tivate, Astia, and Golden Seeds are examples by Jamilah Alsharif plications, and freebies for the young women gave was to ask people for help. of groups that help women to start their own attending the event. The tables had represen- “I didn’t see it as a sign of weakness to businesses and support them along the way.” Students on Northside’s Latin team are tatives from organizations like Abbott, Ar- ask for help; I saw it as sensible…,” Dr. Prince Lunch followed the business presenta- th preparing for the 59 National Junior Clas- gonne National Laboratory, and University of said. “Most of all, help people to help you.” tions, and many of the women attending the sical League Convention (NJCL) at Wake Illinois at Chicago. After checking in, register- What made the difference for her were event were from a university or had a career Forest University in Winston-Salem, North ing, and eating bagels, all 180 women made her mentors and the people she surrounded in science. The third session began with Dr. Carolina. Although school ends June 15, stu- their way into the auditorium and took a seat, herself with. Gilliam who, as Chief of the Section of Family dents will attend the convention from July waiting for the event to begin. Dr. Teresa Woodruff, another speaker Planning and Contraceptive Research, looks 26 to July 31, with Mr. Nifong as chaperone. One of the co-chairs of the WSS, Rabiah who stood out, is a reproductive endocrinolo- at the lives of young people, especially ado- “Our goal for this year is to win first place Mayas, stepped up to the microphone and gist and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecol- lescent mothers. Dr. Gilliam is a doctor and at Upper Certamen,” Jayce Feiger, Adv. 204, welcomed the seated women. In her speech, ogy. She has an endocrine lab where scientists a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology said. “No Illinois upper team has ever made it Mayas stressed the importance of women research ways to preserve fertility after can- and professor of pediatrics and in her clini- to finals, but we intend to win.” paving a way for themselves in science be- cer. They look at how men and women with cal work, she addresses gynecologic needs of Northside’s Latin teams placed just as cause they are more than capable of leaving cancer can still have biological offspring, and children and young women up to age of 27. well in competitions this year as they have their marks and making a difference in the in the process her lab has engineered an ar- Dr. Singh, an associate professor at the in the past. Northside had all the top scorers world today. It is up to women to take the tificial ovary among other achievements. Her Lubar School of Business and an associate in the state for the Illinois Latin Tournament opportunity. The vision of the WWS was to team of oncologists, fertility specialists, so- research director, ended the day as the WSS’s and placed first and second for all of its teams integrate more women into science by letting cial scientists, educators, and policy makers last speaker. This researcher explores career in the Illinois Certamen League. Students them know the options available to them. support her in taking the lab’s research and management and issues related to career were also awarded with numerous gold med- The full day event consisted of three 90 turning it into clinical care for patients bat- choices. For example, she studied why women als after taking the National Latin Exam, Na- minute sessions, which each session contain- tling cancer. do not pursue engineering, why they stay in tional Roman Civilization Exam, and Medusa ing three speakers. The second session began after a brief ten it, and why they leave. The results of her data Mythology Exam. The first session featured Suzanne Malec- minute break. This portion of the day includ- state that one in four women leave engineer- Last year, all the teams made it to semi- McKenna, a senior counsel at Jasculca Ter- ed speakers who work in science and business ing, 14% of sample women who got a degree finals at NJCL but the Latin 2 team made it man and Associates, Inc., a strategic com- enterprise. Dr. Lynne Rueter, currently an never became engineers, 25% of women left into the final round and placed third. It was munications firm, and Director of Regional Associate Director at Abbott, joined Abbott over five years ago, 7% left less than 5 years the second time an Illinois team had made Trees Initiative at the Morton Arboretum. as a research pharmacologist with a PhD in ago, and only 54% are currently working as it to finals, and it was the same team that She spoke about her work in environmental neuroscience. On the job, she chooses which engineers. At the end of the event, many of placed second the previous year as a Latin 1 awareness and how she dealt with the politics target Abbott scientists makes a drug for. She the women who attended WSS individually team. Graduating seniors will also attend the the job entailed. One of her many achieve- also acts as a translator, communicating what spoke to the guest speakers and asked them convention in July and represent Northside. ments has been developing and putting the is being done in the lab to senior manage- more questions about their careers. To find “This competition is extremely impor- Chicago Climate Action Plan (CCAP) into ef- ment, clinicians, customers, and investors. In out more about WSS and the Chicago Coun- tant to us seniors, as it is the culmination of fect. The CCAP was created to cut down on her presentation, she focused on how her sci- cil on Science and Technology’s upcoming four years of study and practice,” Feiger said. Chicago’s greenhouse gas emissions. entific, business, and leadership knowledge events, visit www.c2st.org. The team has raised over 4000 dollars Malec-McKenna’s approach to her job grew on the job. to help defray the cost of NJCL, which costs is not to scare people about global warming “No one is going to make your career for about 500 dollars per student. because she believes that people become less you. Don’t wait for an invitation to increase receptive. Instead she changes her goals and your responsibilities or sphere of influence,” presents it in a way that would be interesting Dr. Rueter said. Northside for people with opposite views. Dr. Rueter expressed her belief that those “When talking about getting people to who do not wait for the title to do the job are Ranks Top change, you have got to find a way to make the ones who rise to the top. Also stressed it important to them,” Malec-McKenna said. was how she created her own job and included For example, if she is talking to a corpo- things that were of interest to her, with Ab- U.S. News & ration about reducing its pollution, she will bott’s support. Hoping to influence women World Report focus on cutting costs rather than the pos- to take charge and break down barriers, she sibility of experiencing 31 days of 100 plus emphasized that top positions in the pharma- #1 High School in Illinois degree temperatures if high pollution contin- cological industry are filled by men and that ues. women need to believe in themselves and The next speaker, Dr. Vicky Prince, As- their abilities to break through gender biases. U.S. News & sociate Dean and Director of University of The final speaker in the second session World Report Chicago’s Office of Graduate affairs, pursued was Kapila Viges, who started a firm called science in academia. She runs a lab at Univer- Mithra Ventures. Her business takes early #10 Magnet High School in sity of Chicago which focuses on zebra fish stage technology business incubation and the nation developmental biology; her lab’s accomplish- innovation to the marketplace. Surprisingly, ments have shed light on Hox gene regulation Viges graduated with an engineering degree of hindbrain patterning and evolution of du- but wanted a job that was relevant and recog- The Daily Beast plicated genomes in vertebrates. nized her own skill as a translator. She takes Her presentation included her life story what goes on inside the research labs and America’s Best and the ten most important lessons she translates it into what customers and inves- High Schools learned the hard way: just say no; do the tors value.