Girlstart Announces Inaugural Women in Stem Award Honorees

TO BE RECOGNIZED AT GAME CHANGERS ANNUAL LUNCHEON ON OCT. 17

GIRLSTART ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL WOMEN IN STEM AWARD HONOREES, TO BE RECOGNIZED AT GAME CHANGERS ANNUAL LUNCHEON ON OCT. 17

(AUSTIN) – Girlstart has announced the recipients of its inaugural Women in STEM Awards, honoring six Texas women who have made significant impacts in their fields and communities utilizing their STEM education. The award recipients will be honored as part of Game Changers, Girlstart’s annual luncheon event, which takes place this year on Thursday, Oct. 17 at the AT&T Conference Center and Hotel, featuring Kari Byron of Discovery Channel’s “Mythbusters” as the keynote speaker.

Honorees include

Dr. Susan M. Cox, Regional Dean of the University of Texas Medical School, who will be course director for the newly-created UT Southwestern Academic Colleges and overseeing the UT Southwestern/Seton Austin Medical Education Programs;

Lisa Lucero, Commissioner for the Governor’s Commission for Women, who has worked with the Texas Oil and Gas Association, ExxonMobil, the Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Racing Commission, and the Texas Senate, and remains a strong advocate for STEM education for girls;

Dr. Emily Niemeyer, Professor of Chemistry and Herbert and Kate Dishman Chair in Science at Southwestern University, who co-founded Southwestern’s Environmental Studies Program, initiated the STEPS program at Southwestern for science-minded high school students from underrepresented groups, and serves as co-director of the HHMI-Southwestern Inquiry Initiative;

Charlotte Vick, an oceanographer with the Sylvia Earle Alliance, who has also served as a Google Content Manager for its “Explore the Ocean” layer since its 2008 launch, and who works directly with Girlstart as a summer camp guest speaker for its popular oceanography-themed camps;

Bertha Bermudez, this year’s Girlstart Alumnae Award recipient, who attended the Girlstart After School program at Mendez Middle School in Austin, served as a Girlstart STEM CREW member in college (while earning her degree in Mathematical Sciences from the University of Texas in Austin), and is currently a Houston-based processing geophysicist; and

Shree Bose, this year’s Girlstart Global Ambassador, recognized at the 2012 Game Changers event for winning Grand Prize in the first-ever Google Science Fair, who was also named one of Glamour Magazine’s 21 Amazing Women of the Year in 2011, has showcased her research to National Institute of Health directors and President Obama, and is currently a sophomore at Harvard University en route to a career in science and research.

“We’re glad to honor women who have made a difference in STEM education,” said Tamara Hudgins, executive director of Girlstart. “The six women we’ve chosen to recognize show what’s possible for women who dedicate themselves to pursuing STEM knowledge. The differences they’re making in a diverse range of STEM fields are truly inspiring to all of us at Girlstart.”

Girlstart will also honor Dell, Inc. with a Corporate STEM Champion Award. Dell is a strong advocate for STEM education, and has been a valuable partner to Girlstart throughout its 16-plus years of providing STEM education programming to elementary and middle-school-aged girls.

Sponsorships are still available for Game Changers, and 10-person tables and a limited number of individual tickets will be available starting later this month. More information on the event, including more on the award honorees and a list of current sponsors, is online at http://www.girlstart.org/game-changers.

ABOUT GIRLSTART

Girlstart, founded in Austin in 1997, is the only community-based informal STEM education nonprofit in the nation specifically dedicated to empowering and equipping girls in STEM, through year-round programming that promotes girls’ early engagement and academic success in STEM, encourages girls’ aspirations and persistence in STEM education and careers, and incubates a talented and diverse STEM workforce. Its innovative, nationally-recognized programs include after-school and summer camps for students, professional development for teachers, and community and online STEM education outreach programs.

Girlstart cultivates a culture where risk is rewarded, curiosity is encouraged, and creativity is expected. As a result, Girlstart girls are connected, brave, and resilient. Girlstart makes girls more successful, and inspires them to take on the world’s greatest challenges.