The aim of Women In Science at Columbia University (WISC) is to facilitate networking, support, and mentoring among women graduate students and post-docs within the science departments. Anyone in support of these goals is welcome to join, although non-members will be permitted to attend and participate in WISC-sponsored events. The broader impacts of such an organization include, but are not limited to, encouraging an increase in the number of women in powerful positions in the scientific industries and an increase in women faculty in departments where they are traditionally underrepresented.

Our activities will consist of: monthly luncheons featuring lectures by local professionals on topics relevant to women in science (or a discussion led by such a figure); mentor activities within each department (pairing incoming graduate students with more advanced graduate students) including social events to build mentor-mentee relationships; a departmental colloquium given by a prominent female scientist (the Chemistry department has set aside funds for a chemistry colloquim speaker in Fall 2004) ; and outreach to the community (this summer, we will design experiments for a workshop we plan to hold in the fall to encourage middle school girls in science). As you can see, we plan to focus our resources (motivated scientists) for the benefit of the local community and eventually society in general. Recognition by the university legitimizes our organization and facilitates our interdepartmental atmosphere and our numerous outreach efforts.