2003 marks the fifth Women in Science Conference sponsored by the University of Nebraska Lincoln Center for Science, Mathematics and Computer Education and Nebraska EPSCoR to encourage young women students to pursue careers in science.

Women In Science offers students the opportunity to meet and interact first hand with women who are career and academic professionals in science along with graduate and undergraduate university students. Participants discover the vast number of career opportunities open to them in countless professions as diverse as biologists, engineers, pharmacists and the medical fields.

Students from across the state of Nebraska along with others from Kansas, Oklahoma, and South Dakota have attended WIS in the past. High school sophomore and junior women are selected based on the letters they submit with their application forms as well as teacher recommendations. The young women are urged to relate experiences or interests which have furthered their desire to explore study in science.

The two-day conference begins with a Friday night banquet featuring a woman keynote speaker actively involved in a scientific profession. On Saturday the girls attend panels made up of professional women discussing their educational and career backgrounds. Following that, graduate and undergraduate students relate their career goals and expectations for future employment. The afternoon session is devoted to tours of various industries and labs throughout Lincoln. The students found actually seeing people at work was very exciting and informative.

Evaluations given by the young women following their participation in WIS has indicated the conference encouraged them to follow their interests and inspired them to pursue scientific careers. The statement that countless women before them have explored these options and accomplished their goals is very reassuring.

Interested high school teachers or counselors should contact the Nebraska Center for Science, Mathematics and Computer Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 126 Morrill Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0350.