See the Research Results of this Summer's Women in Science and Engineering Program

This year, the University of Cincinnati’s Women in Science and Engineering (

WISE

) committee will celebrate the 15th anniversary of its Research Experience for Women Undergraduates (REWU) program as the program concludes yet another successful summer. The 15th anniversary event is to be held on

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

, in the UC College of Engineering and Applied Science Library (in Baldwin Hall) from

5:30-8:30 p.m.

The following day,

Aug. 1,

 program participants will discuss and display their research findings at a special presentation session from

noon-4 p.m.

in Room 427, Engineering Research Center.

REWU is a 12-week summer program that engages female students in research projects with faculty in a wide variety of disciplines. Some choose to explore research unrelated to their given major.

The WISE REWU Program is sponsored in part by the Offices of the Provost and the Vice President for Research, with the support and cooperation of several departments in the McMicken Colleges of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Applied Science, College of Pharmacy, College of Nursing and College of Medicine. The program encourages the participation of talented young women in the science, mathematics and engineering fields, with a goal of exposing these talents to diverse areas of research early in their education and to encourage the pursuit of advanced studies in these fields.

REWU is a full-immersion program, and the students were required to work full-time on their research projects. Each participant worked closely with an experienced faculty advisor/researcher on ongoing research projects. They were involved in interpreting the results of the research, deriving conclusions, and preparing and presenting a technical paper. A stipend of $4,500 was provided to each student to carry out her research, and to provide for a more successful experience.

This year, 22 young women delved into the opportunity to perform undergraduate research alongside UC’s leading scientists and engineers in a wide range of fields. Some of the disciplines explored were astrophysics, biology, biomedical engineering, botany, chemistry, dietetics, electrical engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, nursing, pediatrics and physics.

In addition to the benefit of conducting research as an undergraduate, some students were able to constitute this research as one of their normal

cooperative education

 semesters.

Urmila Ghia, chair of the WISE program, explains, “Participation in research projects is a significant factor in increasing student retention, and in encouraging talented students to excel.

"In the beginning, the program didn’t have a vast array of disciplines for students to choose from. But now, nearly every science unit across the campus participates in REWU. We’ve had a total of 287 women throughout the years, making our program an overwhelming success.

"I would like to acknowledge and specially thank the department heads, mentors and university administration who have provided the program with continued supported and contributed largely to our success. We simply couldn’t have it without them.

"Together, we have encouraged and guided these talented and dedicated young women to realize that they are indeed the bright future of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.”

The REWU 15th Anniversary Celebration is to be held on

July 31 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

in the CEAS Library. The evening kicks off with comments offered by several distinguished university figures who aided the program in its initial stages.

Some keynote speakers are: Sandra Degen, interim chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry & Microbiology; Howard Jackson, former vice president of research; and Anthony J. Perzigian, former UC Provost.

Guests will then enjoy dinner followed by additional presentations about the program and the college.

The following day, on

Thursday, Aug. 1

, please join WISE for a presentation session that will be held from 

noon-4 p.m.

in Room 427 of the Engineering Research Center (ERC).