Tallahassee, Fla. (February 12, 2018)-Tallahassee Community College hosted a special event on February 8 for young women interested in careers in the sciences.
The Women and Girls in Science mentoring event gave approximately 100 young women the opportunity to interact with women who are already successful scientists.
Attendees learned about the many possible career paths in the sciences, as well as obstacles faced by women in science. Seventeen mentors, from engineers to biologists, talked about their work and their experiences. After the brief presentations, students had the opportunity to meet with mentors in small groups.
'We hoped to give these young women a chance to see themselves in their mentors,' said Mabry Gaboardi Calhoun, associate professor of earth science at TCC. 'By having conversations with distinguished women scientists of diverse ages, fields and backgrounds, these students had the opportunity to make contacts who can help them realize their dreams of a career in science.'
Students attended from both TCC and Florida State University. Younger students came from Leon, Chiles, Lincoln, Wakulla and Gadsden County high schools, along with Jefferson County K-12 Somerset School, Maclay School, Florida Virtual School, Swift Creek Middle School, Raa Middle School, and Tallahassee School of Math and Science.
The event was created by the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. It is one of several events that will be held this month in Tallahassee to commemorate the United Nations-driven initiative.
The event was sponsored by TCC, the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium, WFSU Public Media, Florida A & M University, and Florida State University. It was organized by Mabry Gaboardi Calhoun from TCC, Roxanne Hughes from the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Adrienne Stephenson from FSU and Brenda Crouch from the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium.
For information, contact Mabry Gaboardi Calhoun at (850) 201-8139 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
