Several Westminster College professors will take part in a panel to discuss "Encouraging Math and Science Opportunities for Female and Minority Students" Tuesday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m. in the Hoyt Science Resources Center Phillips Lecture Hall.

The panel members include: Dr. Pamela Richardson, assistant professor of mathematics and chair of the panel; Dr. Kathy Robertson, assistant professor of biology; Dr. Helen Boylan, assistant professor of chemistry; Dr. Craig Caylor, assistant professor of physics; Dr. Terri Lenox, associate professor of computer science; and moderator Dr. Ann Throckmorton, associate professor of biology.

This panel discussion is part of the Westminster College Diversity Symposium, "Images of Women: Choices for Women and Men," which is a week-long event that celebrates the 25th anniversary of the first women's symposium at Westminster. Visit http://www.westminster.edu/news/releases/release.cfm?id=1964 for a complete calendar of Diversity Symposium events.

"The purpose of our panel presentation is to inform people of opportunities that exist to increase women's interest and participation in math and science," Throckmorton said. "The panelists will be talking about programs that professional organizations in math and science have instituted to bolster women's interest in those fields and to support their endeavors."

"The session will begin with a brief introduction by Dr. Throckmorton," Richardson said. "Each speaker will give an overview of their own discipline and then the floor will be opened for discussion and questions."

Boylan plans to present "ChEmpower Workshop: Empowering Girls through Chemistry." "That's a proposal written for the development and implementation of a hands-on chemistry workshop for girls in the seventh and eighth grade in rural and diverse districts. It was developed for girls who do not get A' grades, but have potential. The girls will work with successful women in science they can view as role models."

"I'll be describing a couple of programs organized and supported by the American Physical Society," Caylor said. "These programs are designed to encourage minority students majoring in physics and increase opportunities for minority physicists."

All events are free and open to the public. Contact Dr. Barbara Faires, Westminster College professor of mathematics and coordinator of this event, at (724) 946-7293 or e-mail faires@westminster.edu for more information.

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