Women in Science – Girls are Boss!

Monday 4 February 2019

Otago Museum in collaboration with the Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies is hosting a series of workshops to mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February. The workshops are aimed at intermediate and high school students, and educators, and will run over 11 to 12 February.

Facilitators Alexia Hilbertidou and Vicky Crawford will lead discussions about the challenges and opportunities facing female leaders. This is the first time GirlBoss has presented workshops in Dunedin.

19-year-old Alexia, founder of GirlBoss, has spoken to more than 30 000 people in corporate offices, government agencies and schools in the last 12 months as well as amassing a significant amount of leadership and entrepreneurial experience. She has been named a Global Teen Leader, a Ministry of Youth Development Top 5 Young Leader, and a winner of the Westpac Young Leader Award. In 2018 she was selected from 20 000 nominations as one of 60 Queen's Young Leaders.

She says, “I am incredibly excited to bring GirlBoss to Dunedin to work with both educators and young women. Otago Museum has led the way when it comes to innovative STEM education and it is great that I can be a part of this incredible event. The pursuit of science is one of the most exciting and noble of endeavours and I would love to see more NZ women join this creative and thrilling adventure.”

Vicky is a senior teacher with 20 years’ experience in New Zealand in both primary and secondary settings. She co-founded the Albany Junior High NEXT Business Academy, is a member of the Upper Harbour Financial Capability Advisory Board, and has been a Toastmasters president.

Otago Museum Science Engagement Manager Nathalie Wierdak says, “The Museum is constantly looking for opportunities to engage our young people in science and showing them ways to dream big for their future. It’s really exciting to have GirlBoss coming to us for this series of workshops and we’re so pleased the schools have taken advantage of the opportunity.”

Professor David Hutchinson, Dodd-Walls Centre Director says, “The Dodd-Walls Centre is committed to promoting involvement in research and science education for all, including under-represented groups such as Māori, Pasifika, and girls and women. This is the third year we’ve partnered with the Otago Museum to bring together a science programme as part of the celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.”

The complete schedule is attached below.

Women in Science

For Year 7 and Year 8 students

Monday 11 February 2019 from 9am to 12pm

Otago Museum

Science Wonders

A behind the scenes visit lead by our team of science communicators to Tūhura Otago Community Trust Science Centre, which has over 45 hands-on interactives, including a three-tier tropical butterfly enclosure and the Perpetual Guardian Planetarium, a 360° cinema.

Changemakeher

A two-hour interactive workshop led by Girl Boss Alexia Hilbertidou, designed to outline the myriad ways a knowledge of STEAM will equip young women to powerfully impact their own communities.

We invite your school to register up to four students who will benefit from and engage in this science programme held at the Otago Museum.

Places for this workshop are limited and will be booked on a first come, first serve basis so we encourage all interested people to register as early as possible.

Please book online here before 07 February:

https://otagomuseum.nz/science-wonders

Only 8.3% of New Zealand engineers are women. We're changing that.

The future is in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) but too many women are missing from these dynamic and economically rewarding fields.

Changemakeher is an interactive workshop designed to demonstrate the real reasons STEAM remains male-dominated and will outline the myriad ways a knowledge of STEAM will equip young women to powerfully impact their own communities.

A dynamic, inspiring workshop focussing on building STEAM capabilities —with loads of fun and games in between.

This event is for girls who are passionate about developing their skills to become strong, confident and creative STEM leaders. We run workshops for school groups of approximately 20 - 35 young women.

For Educators

Monday 11 February 2019 from 3.30pm to 4.30pm

H D Skinner Annex at the Otago Museum

The future is in STEAM

The future is in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) but too many women are missing from these dynamic and economically rewarding fields. This workshop explores why young women are opting out of STEAM and provides strategies for educators to combat this along with ongoing support.

We invite your school to register up to two educators who will benefit from this workshop held at the Otago Museum.

Places for this workshop are limited and will be booked on a first come, first serve basis so we encourage all interested people to register as early as possible.

Please book online here before 07 February:

https://otagomuseum.nz/for-teachers

As the only girl in her Digital Technology class in Year 11 and the only girl in her Advanced Physics class when she was in Year 13, Alexia knows first-hand the challenges young women face in choosing to enter male-dominated fields.

What the workshop covers:

- Why young women are opting out of STEAM
-
- Strategies to attract young women into STEAM careers
-
- How the rise of automation will impact young women in particular
-
- Providing ongoing support for your students, organisation and community
-
For Year 9 and Year 10 students

Tuesday 12 February 2019 from 10am to 12pm

H D Skinner Annex at the Otago Museum

Girl Boss Lead

A two-hour interactive workshop designed to turbo-charge our next generation of female change makers. Facilitated by GirlBoss founder Alexia Hilbertidou, participants will look at the factors which are limiting them, determine their purpose, and be inspired to execute on their own leadership projects.

We invite your school to register up to four students who will benefit from and engage in this workshop held at the Otago Museum.

Places for this workshop are limited and will be booked on a first come, first serve basis so we encourage all interested people to register as early as possible.

Please book online here before 07 February:

https://otagomuseum.nz/girl-boss-lead

Girls do not have to wait to be given a leadership role before they can start making a difference, we show them how they can start executing on their own projects today!

Attendees will:

- Become aware of potential challenges they may face - why aren’t women at the table and what can they do about it?

- Develop strategies to build resilience and confidence

- Be inspired by examples of young women across the globe who are making a difference

- Brainstorm ways to powerfully impact their own communities.

- Consider their own WHY so that they have the strength to persist

Year 11 to 13 - Additional Content

Not to be missed:

We will showcase the latest research from New Zealand’s top recruiters so they can learn how to win scholarships, gain internships, and create an online presence which bolsters their career success.

- Find out what New Zealand’s top recruiters are looking for

- Learn to create a positive digital footprint and their own personal brand

- Learn how to nail internship and scholarship applications
ends

© Scoop Media