Conference encourages young women to explore scientific, technical careers

ARGONNE, Ill. (March 1, 2005) — The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory will host the 18th annual Science Careers in Search of Women conference, Thursday, March 10.

More than 350 students from nearly 60 schools throughout the Chicago area will participate in the day-long conference, which aims to encourage high school women to consider careers in science and technology.

Students will participate in panel discussions with speakers from a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines. Panelists will share their personal experiences and insights on what a career in science and technology is really like and how to pursue such a career. The students also will have the opportunity to tour several different laboratories at Argonne, including biology, chemistry, physics, computer science and engineering, as well as visit career booth exhibits.

At lunchtime, students will be grouped by their areas of interest and will have lunch with a woman scientist in that field, providing an opportunity for more informal, one-on-one conversation.

The keynote speaker will be Geraldine L. Richmond, the Richard M. and Patricia H. Noyes Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Materials Science Institute at the University of Oregon.

Richmond's research focuses on physical chemistry; environmental chemistry; optics and spectroscopy; and surface and materials science. She is a member of the Oregon state board of higher education as well as a member of the Chemical Sciences Roundtable, National Academy of Sciences. In 2005 Richmond received the American Chemical Society Award for Encouraging Women in the Chemical Sciences, and in 2003 she was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

High schools participating in the 2005 Science Careers in Search of Women Conference are:

The conference is sponsored by Argonne's Office of the Director, the lab's Division of Educational Programs and the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

Argonne National Laboratory brings the world's brightest scientists and engineers together to find exciting and creative new solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation's first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America 's scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

For more information, please contact Steve McGregor (630/252-5580 or media@anl.gov) at Argonne.