California Students Honored at White House Science Fair

Among the 100 students from 40 states recently honored at the White House Science Fair, three hailed from California:  eleven year old Sylvia Todd from Auburn, who demonstrated her drawing maker-bot; junior high student Jessika Baral from Fremont, for her eye exercise device which reduces eye fatigue and strengthens peripheral vision; and fifteen year old Jonah Kohn from San Diego, whose project won a top honor at the Google Science Fair, who created a device which allows hearing-impaired people to enjoy music through tactile vibration.  http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/2013_scifair_students.pdf

White House Council on Women and Girls Hosts Panel on Females in STEM

Last week, the White House Council on Women and Girls hosted a panel discussion event in the Eisenhower Office Building which was attended by Girl Scouts, college students, mentors, teachers and parents.  Panelists included EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, astronaut Dr. Cady Coleman, Facebook Director of Engineering Jocelyn Goldfein, Edmonds Community College President Jean Hernandez, and Howard University Chapter President of Engineers Without Borders Bianca Bailey.  The panelists encouraged the young ladies attending not only to cultivate mentors and extra-curricular activities such as internships to gain experience, but also to stick with math and science studies, consider post-secondary certificate programs if four-year colleges were not their first choice, and to be themselves.  Videos about girls who were successful in the White House Science Fair were released. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/post/more-than-cheers-girls-in-stem-fields-need-mentors-and-sponsors/2012/04/25/gIQAnvn0gT_blog.html