Science summer camp for
girls in its fifth year at the Mount
Camp is to summer what
peanut butter is to jelly. But one camp at Mount Saint Vincent University is
all about breaking norms by encouraging young girls in the pursuit of careers
in science, technology, engineering and math (or STEM).
The 2016 Girls Get WISE Science Summer Camp is the fifth of its kind at the
Mount and runs from July 18 to 22 this year. A
n opportunity to have fun with science in a way most
junior high school girls have rarely experienced in the classroom, the
day camp is for girls going into grades seven and
eight and has been growing since its inception in 2012. Camp registration is
full for the 5th year in a row.
“It is great news that we are at capacity,” said Dr. Tamara Franz-Odendaal,
biology professor at the Mount and Atlantic
NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering (WISE). “Girls are keen
to have this special opportunity to dive into STEM topics and connect with
mentors, and that’s wonderful.”
One of the best in her field
Dr. Franz-Odendaal is the brains behind the Girls Get WISE Science Summer Camp
and a passionate advocate for young women in these fields. In 2015, she
received
the Mount’s Award for Research Excellence– an award that acknowledges particularly notable
research and intellectual accomplishments achieved by faculty. A renowned
Canada Research Chair in Evolutionary Developmental Biology at McGill
University described Tamara as “one of the top researchers in Canada and
internationally in the field of Ecological Evolutionary Developmental Biology.” Noted Dr. Franz-Odendaal, “We need to reach girls at this age, before they
start making decisions that could affect their university opportunities. In
other words, we want to ignite STEM passions for girls before they are choosing high school courses that could influence
their post-secondary pathways. The Girls Get WISE Summer Science Camp is really
a critical tool in promoting the sciences to girls
.”
"We want to ignite STEM passions for girls before they're choosing high school courses that could influence their post-secondary pathways."
-- Dr. Tamara Franz-Odendaal
The power of mentorship
The program is run by STEM faculty and students, camp alumni and volunteers,
and provides hands-on learning experiences. In past years, attendees have studied zebrafish (including
breeding their own), learned about DNA extraction and done hair analysis (CSI
style!), learned about bridge and tower design, coding and so much more.
Participants also have a chance to speak with women in
STEM careers during the camp’s signature role model session. The role model
session this year will feature women with careers in Nutrition, Physics,
Chemistry, IT, and Aerospace Engineering. The week is capped off with an open
house where the girls demonstrate to their friends and family some of what
they’ve learned and experienced.
The zebrafish component of
the week is always a hit and of great relevance as the two centimetre-long common pet store fish has become critical for research around the globe.
“From the pursuit of cancer
treatments to studies on muscular dystrophy and many points in between, the
zebrafish is used by scientists, including myself, to understand various
aspects of biology as well as human disease; participants in the camp will
learn why they are so popular," said Dr. Franz-Odendaal.
For more information about WISE-related events,
visit the WISEatlantic website, check out the WISEatlantic Facebook page, or contact msvu.ca.
More on Dr. Tamara
Franz-Odendaal: http://www.msvu.ca/en/home/aboutus/news/TamaraFranzOdendaalheraldstory.aspx
Media Opportunities: Girls Get WISE Summer Camp Open
House Friday,
July 22, 2016, 3:30-4:30 pm
Evaristus Hall, Room 115
Mount Saint Vincent University, 166 Bedford Highway
Media visits during other camp sessions and activities are welcome and will be
coordinated upon request.
Media interested in attending are
asked to contact: Gillian Batten
Manager, Communications
Mount Saint Vincent University
Office: (902)
457-6439
Cell: (902) 441-0505