Middle school girls will have the opportunity to learn about science first hand, from former astronaut Sally Ride at the San Diego Science Festival Oct. 6 on the University of San Diego campus.
Ride, the first American woman in space, will address an expected 600 attendees on the importance of girls pursuing their interests in the field of science.
The community festival is just one of many held throughout the nation that will feature over 20 different discovery workshops and booths sponsored by area organizations including Legoland, San Diego Aerospace Museum, Birch Aquarium at Scripps and the San Diego Museum of Man.
Girls will have the opportunity to interact with female scientists and learn about fields ranging from forensic science to oceanography.
“It’s a good family day and very valuable for parents as well,” said Toni DiMartino, director of public relations for the festival.
There are even workshops for parents on issues such as gender equality and college education.
The mission of the festival is to spark interest and curiosity about math, science and technology, fields that haven’t always been popular career choices among women.
A report released by the Congressional Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering and Technology Development, said that women make up only 19 percent of the science, engineering and technology work force.
According to the commission, this lack of interest, seen beginning in 12-year-old girls, seems to accelerate as they grow older.
An absence of female scientist role models and the media portrayals of scientists as male nerds or socially inept, are reasons for the minimal interest, the commission stated.
The festival is also the kick-off event to promote the Sally Ride Science Club, an organization recently launched by Ride to promote science education among sixth to eighth grade girls.
“Sally’s always been dedicated to science education and she wanted to create something that would attract them (young girls) to something and to help maintain their early interest in science,” she said.
The national science club, which started earlier this month, is available via Web site www.imaginarylinesinc.com.
Registered members receive monthly newsletters, can chat with astronauts and participate in design and invention contests.
For further information, please call (858) 638-0960.
