The Buckeye Women In Science, Engineering and Research (B-WISER) Institute is an organization of women (and a couple of men for good measure) who try to encourage young women into the physical sciences. Despite this being the 21st century, girls still aren’t being encouraged into chemistry, physics, geology, etc. as much as the boys. So Dr. Lois Cook, professor emeritus last of Wright State University (my alma mater – and my dad’s) and Betty Obara (my old junior high science teacher) started a camp for 7th grade girls several years ago, and it’s still going strong. Lois graduated from the College of Wooster many (many) years ago and was welcomed back to the campus with her science camp. Dr. Ted Williams, retired chemistry chair, from Wooster, is the third go-getter who got this camp off the ground. And me? Well, I teach physics there with my co-teacher, Dee Leis (an elementary science teacher from Tipp City, OH).

When the camp was in its second year (or maybe third? but I think second) my sister and I were contacted about being counselors in the camp. I was a freshman in college and Amy a freshman in high school, and we both said yes. My sister was able to continue as a counselor throughout her HS career, but I kept having conflicts in the summer. No matter, after I became a physics teacher, I came back. This time as a teacher.

The camp is loads of fun – for the teachers and the girls. We all have at least one other co-teacher in our respective subjects (chemistry, physics, earth science, computers, research, and engineering) and this year, we’ll have a robotics unit too! (The engineering bit is part of the research bit and the girls work on projects at night – building straw bridges.) The food is good, the campus is gorgeous, the dorms that we’re stuck in SUCK, but hey – it’s only a week. I love my coworkers (and my roommate is completely mad – and thus wonderful) and enjoy the week teaching science.

Tomorrow morning I’ll pack up the car (it’s already got the science equipment packed in it) and head oop north (and east) to Wooster, OH. It’s a 3 hour drive, so having lots of good music is crucial. Shame the latest Big Finish audio isn’t out yet – I could do with a new Sylvester McCoy adventure to listen to on the way there. No idea how often I’ll be able to check my e-mail or LiveJournal, so don’t expect to read much (if any) from me for a week. (I hear a huge sigh of relief coming from all quarters… hmmm…)

So, take care, everyone! Have fun while I’m away! And be nice to the Random Sylv Pix, dark_pheonix! 😉