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E O C TO BE R 2005 L A M E F F E M A L E O F T H E M O N T H : M A R I E C U R I E I N SI DE T H I S I SSU E : BY: LAYLA BOOSHEHRI

F E M A L E O F T H E 1 Her name was Maria Sklo- Through Marie’s research on M O N T H dowska and she took the world radium and its compounds, she by storm. Higher education was awarded a second 1911 W E L C O M E 1 prohibition in her native Poland Nobel Prize in chemistry. Later bought her to Paris in 1891 to in her life, Marie devoted most GE N E R A L 1 I N F O M A T I O N study mathematics, chemistry, of her time for humanitarian and physics at the Sorbonne. causes especially with her work W H O A R E W E ? 2 While in Paris, she married on the medical applications of Pierre Curie and 3 years later, radioactive substances. Marie in 1898, they discovered polo- Curie died at the age of 67 in M E N T O R I N G 2 nium and radium. This sudden 1934 of leukemia, brought on discovery led the 1903 Nobel by her years of high exposure to O U R ST A T E M E N T 2 Prize in physics straight into the radiation. Marie Curie isolated ra- hands of the Curies. dium, won two Noble Marie Curie was the first person Tragically, 1906 signaled the to win a second Nobel Prize and Prizes, was the first fe- GE N E R A L sudden death of Pierre, but it was one of the most celebrated male instructor at Sor- I N F O R M A T I O N introduced Marie as the first scientists of her time, at a time bonne, and held degrees ever woman professor at the when the field was almost ex- ñ Our first general body in math, chemistry, and Sorbonne, taking over her hus- clusively for men. meeting is Tuesday, physics. September 20th at band’s post as professor. 5pm in NPB 2205. We will discuss upcoming plans and mentor opportunities W E L C O M E T O F PF O R U M BY: DR. LAURA BAUDIS ñ Want to be a mentor/ mentee? Email us at We would like to take the op- meet regularly and most of the sue a career in science, to how [email protected] portunity to welcome you to the time we have an invited guest she balances work and a family to pick up an applica- Female Physics Forum at the speaker: a female professor life and so much more. All tion. University of Florida. either from abroad, or from a these women have interesting Interested in becom- UF science department. After stories to tell. They provide ñ Our goal is to bring together ing an officer or a part giving a short introduction to excellent role models for aspir- women studying and working in of the newsletter staff her person and research, the ing female physicists. Our meet- physics, to provide support and for FPForum? Email undergraduate, graduate stu- ings are very informal and we Layla Booshehri at a positive environment in which dents, and postdocs are free to provide food and drink. [email protected] for we can learn more about phys- ask her any questions related more information. ics, and to discuss topics con- to being a woman in science cerning women in science. We from how she decided to pur- W H O A R E W E ?

Undergraduate Coordinator

Layla Goli Booshehri is an undergraduate senior at the University of Florida. She has been working under the guidance of Dr. David Tanner since her freshman year and was president of the Society of Physics Students for the 2004-2005 term. Her goals are to continue her studies at graduate school and pursue a career in research and academia.

Faculty Members

Laura Baudis joined the Physics Department in January 2004. She was the third woman on the faculty. Her main research interests are astroparticle physics, in particular the direct de- tection of dark matter. As a postdoc at Stanford University, she participated for three years in a 'women in science and engineering' mentoring program, which was a lot of fun. Her office hours for female students are very popular, and she looks forward to another semester with exciting events, and to setting up the mentoring program. Laura Baudis has a six year old son, and a two year old daughter.

Katia Matcheva joined the Physics Department in January 2005. We were very happy to have an additional woman in our ranks! Katia's research is focussed on planetary physics, espe- cially on the physics and chemistry of the atmospheres of Solar system planets. She was quick to join Laura Baudis in offering office hours for young women in physics and is passion- ate about the mentoring program. Katia has a son who is almost two.

M E N T O R I N G PR O GR A M BY: DR. LAURA BAUDIS

Our mentoring program is an unique perspective on the One or two undergraduate stu- informative and fun way for experience they had as a dents are paired with a gradu- undergraduate and graduate physics major, about opportu- ate student, and they go out for students to regularly meet nities for undergrads at UF to lunch once a month. If you are and discuss issues not only get involved in research and an undergraduate woman in related to being a female work with professors and on physics and are interested in scientist, but also to being a how to take advantage of seeking a mentor, or if you are student at the University of other resources that UF pro- a graduate student, and are Florida. The graduate stu- vides. willing to be a mentor, please dents can give a true and email us.

The goals of our Women in Science newsletter are to provide informa- Join our list-serve tion about our organization and to inform the public about the Email us at [email protected] achievements of women in science. We hope to enlighten our readers with more information about women in science and hopefully inspire support in the encouragement of increasing the number of female scientists today, in particular, the number of women physicists.