SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Girls Day Out, an educational outreach program sponsored by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific), drew 60 young women ages 12 to 14 to the University of California, San Diego, campus on Jan. 10. Taking place on a sunny day under bright blue skies, the event was hosted by the SSC Pacific Outreach Team of Dr. Jim Rohr, Chris Deckard, and Ashley Nekoui with the support of a dozen volunteers who are the organizers for the "Girl's Day Out" series of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs for middle school girls.

Bringing the science and people directly to the girls was a perfect match with SSC Pacific's STEM efforts. "SSC Pacific has been developing an aggressive outreach program for middle schools, high schools, community colleges and universities to increase diversity and interest in STEM," says Deckard.

When the SSC Pacific Outreach Team developed the program it made sure to bring in local colleges as hosts of free science workshops that would provide an interesting and exciting science and engineering environment for middle school girls. The work is critical given the still-large discrepancy between male and females in science and engineering careers and enrolled in related programs on college campuses.  The workshops are open to middle school girls and their parents in an effort to get the family engaged.

The program for the day includes two local women in science as speakers, tours of the campus and labs and tables set up with a lot of fun hands-on science activities. Among the groups supporting the events are the Society of Women Engineers, other student organizations as well as some high school girls already involved with science programs.

The event at UCSD was the second Girl's Day Out in San Diego. The first was held Nov. 15 at San Diego State University. SSC Pacific Technical Director Carmela Keeney was one of the keynote speakers that day. About 40 middle school girls attended.

The speakers at the event at UCSD  included Dr. Cynthia Smith, the veterinarian for the Center's Navy Marine Mammal Program. "Science is more than test tubes and working in the lab," Dr. Smith says. "It's about loving nature. It's about caring for the planet." Following her talk, Dr. Smith was presented an award for her work with the Marine Mammal Foundation by SSC's Deckard.

After hearing from Dr. Smith, the young women rotated to different stations for hands on presentations or attended campus tours conducted by UCSD student volunteers.

Among the other SSC personnel presenting science demonstrations at the event were Dr. Rohr, Dr. Roger Boss, Dr. Eric Hendricks and his daughter, Brooke Bachmann, Lt. Sarah Rice, Eric Yin, Kelly Abruzzo, Joanna Ptasinski, Ivette Aranda, Tyrone Robertson, Melissa Alatorre and Shannan Nyberg. The SSC team offered a special thanks to Kimberly Csanadi, a University City High School student who stuffed goodie bags for the middle school girls into the wee hours before the event and coordinated the high school mentors teamed with the middle school girls.

Activities and demonstrations included infrared technology, light characteristics, holography, acoustic resonance, liquid nitrogen, mathematics fun, hyperspectral, marine mammals and robotics. In her demonstration, Dr. Smith showed replicas of dolphin brains, and spoke about their intelligence, habits, and dietary needs.

The event also gave the girls the opportunity to see the scientists in a more relaxed setting.

"We tried to establish a mentoring relationship, if only for a short time, and asked the young women to think like scientists and engineers," says Lt. Rice. "We asked them questions, or showed them phenomena, and asked them how to explain it. At my booth, we showed the girls how to create a rainbow, thanks to some cool science toys, a prism, and a source of white light."

The young women and their families enjoyed a pizza picnic on the lawn followed by a commemorative photo.

On April 18, another "Girl's Day Out" will be held at UCSD, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This event is open to the community.

Those interested in bringing a middle school girl to the event may RSVP with Ashley Nekoui at ashley.nekoui@navy.mil.
March 19, 2009