YWSI sparks the interest of exceptional young women in math, science, and computer-related careers
Ohio Supercomputer Center's summer institute for middle-school girls marks 9th year
Columbus – July 1, 2008 – The Ohio Supercomputer Center announced the 2008 class of gifted middle school students who will participate in the Young Women's Summer Institute, a weeklong summer program that supports the state's efforts in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by teaching skills and encouraging careers in these areas.
During the week of July 27-Aug. 2, 18 girls from 10 Ohio counties and seven teachers will attend OSC's YWSI workshops on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus and take field trips to the nearby Big Darby watershed and other locations.
YWSI was created in response to girls' lack of interest in math and science and women's low participation in the science and technology fields. Now in its ninth year, YWSI helps girls develop an interest in these subjects by allowing them to investigate practical, interesting scientific projects focused on Ohio watersheds using the latest computer technology.
"Young Women's Summer Institute does more than just encourage girls to take an interest in math, science, and computers," said Shannon Schraegle, YWSI co-director. "Taking home the knowledge and experience of YWSI enables these young women to take the first step in the pursuit, and success, of a career in these related fields."
Through a longitudinal study conducted in 2004 and annual surveys, YWSI girls have enthusiastically said that they learned a great deal and most would recommend the program to their friends. One girl commented in her final program evaluation, "All my life, I've learned about science through a chalkboard, pencil and paper, but in this program, I've learned about science through computers. It was a great experience."
More than 100 K-12 students will be engaged in OSC computational science programs this summer, attending Young Women's Summer Institute (sixth and seventh grade girls), Summer Institute (ninth and tenth grade students), and STEM Academy (eleventh and twelfth grade students).
The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) is a catalytic partner of Ohio universities and industries that provides a reliable high performance computing and high performance networking infrastructure for a diverse statewide/regional community including education, academic research, industry, and state government. Funded by the Ohio Board of Regents, OSC promotes and stimulates computational research and education in order to act as a key enabler for the state's aspirations in advanced technology, information systems, and advanced industries. For additional information, visit http://www.osc.edu.
Ohio Supercomputer Center's summer institute for middle-school girls marks 9th year