The UCSC WiSE (Women in Science and Engineering) program is a completely student-run organization at UC Santa Cruz that aims to improve women’s participation in science programs from their historically low numbers in past years. They host a number of networking, mentoring, and workshop programs throughout the year in order to increase exposure to local and global opportunities in research and science. Run by UCSC graduate students, their programs are offered to people at all levels, from undergraduates to doctorates.
The UCSC branch is part of a nation-wide organization offering opportunities for women to participate in conferences, gain leadership experience, and awards recognizing achievements in science. Local events through our chapter are Coffee Hours, which offer more information on WiSE’s mission, and naturalist walks around the beautiful Santa Cruz environment. Other WiSE-sponsored programs are education-based, such as hands-on experiments in elementary schools or judging science fair projects. Other events, such as their “Science on Tap” program, bring in UCSC faculty members to the Crepe Place every month to lead talks on current research in the university.
There are many opportunities to get involved with WiSE depending on the area you wish to participate in. If you are interested in leading workshops and working with youth on science-based activities at local schools, you can contact wiseoutreachucsc@gmail.com. If you are looking for more of a leadership experience, you can be on their organizing team, facilitating and improving popular events you are interested in. If this sounds right for you, you can simply email wiseucsc@gmail.com to get connected.
History has proven that we need more female scientists at our helm, and UCSC WiSE is the perfect group to spread this goal. By volunteering with them and attending their science events, you can gain great access to future internships and continue the conversation about the necessity of science in our society,
