PLN: Developing a Women Interested in Mathematics and Science Advancement (WIMSA) Network in a Rural Community

妇女对科学和数学根深蒂固的负面看法与她们在这些领域和相关领域的代表性不足直接相关（Gottfried，1993年）。我们项目的目标是提高农村社区妇女在科学、数学、工程和技术领域的参与程度。为了实现我们的目标，我们将启动一项计划，让整个社区的妇女参与到一个持续的支持网络中。这是一个令人兴奋的、复杂的、长期的项目。该提案是为PGE示范规划赠款，这将使我们能够准备一个强大的，全面的PGE示范赠款提案。我们的全额赠款将解决女孩经历的不平等问题，特别是在低技术农村地区。全部赠款将用于创建一个名为“对数学和科学进步感兴趣的妇女”（WIMSA）的项目。WIMSA方案将由一个人员和组织网络组成，其目标都是增加女性在数学和科学领域的参与和成功。完整的提案将解决WIMSA网络成员的招募，维持他们的成员资格，并扩大WIMSA计划。PGE示范规划项目将侧重于设计WIMSA方案的各个方面，两个主要规划赠款目标之一将是设计我们的试点项目，即针对中学女生的年度WIMSA夏季方案（WSP），该方案将具有双重目的，一是作为将人们纳入WIMSA网络的初始动力，二是提高中学女生和教师的技能水平。将成立一个由两名K-12教师、两名大学生和两名首席研究员组成的规划委员会来制定暑期项目。该委员会将确定该计划的规模和范围，设计计划活动和课程，并将与社区组织合作开展WSP实地活动。该方案的设计将建立在全国妇女的其他小型和微型企业干预方案的成功基础上，我们的另一个主要规划赠款目标将是设计妇女、男子和女孩协会的网络联系和活动。我们设想这个网络将梅萨州立大学的教师和学生、K-12教师和学生、私营企业、政府组织、教育协会、社区领袖和任何涉及科学和数学的地方项目聚集在一起。我们的第一项活动将是WIMSA启动会议，由梅萨州主办，将包括来自所有目标组织的人员，并将向他们介绍WIMSA的概念。我们将创建一个WISMA顾问委员会，负责监督WIMSA项目的各个方面，包括编写完整的PGE演示资助。我们将设计大学课程，为WIMSA成员提供持续的SMET活动和培训，包括为K-12教师提供研究生学分。我们将与当地企业和专业人士合作，为WSP设计活动，为WIMSA大学生提供实习机会，为K-12学生提供就业机会，并在梅萨州提供演讲机会。为了维持这种关系和合作，WIMSA每年至少举行三次会议。虽然我们地区没有解决中小企业领域缺乏女性的方案，但有一些方案和组织致力于改善我们的社区，许多人希望有所作为。WIMSA计划将提供一个令人难以置信的机会来利用和协调这些资源，并创建一个非常有效的计划，将产生长期的影响。

Developing a Women Interested in Mathematics and Science Advancement (WIMSA) Network in a Rural CommunityWomen's deeply ingrained negative perceptions of science and mathematics are directlylinked to their underrepresentation in these and related fields (Gottfried, 1993). The goal of our project is to increase the participation of women from rural communities in the fields of science, mathematics, engineering and technology (SMET). To achieve our goal, we will initiate a program that involves women throughout the community in a sustainednetwork of support. This is an exciting, complex, long-term project. This proposal is fora PGE Demonstration Planning Grant, which will enable us to prepare a strong, comprehensiveproposal for a full PGE Demonstration Grant. Our full grant will address the inequities experienced by girls, particularly in low-tech rural areas. The full grant will be used to create a program, called Women Interested in Mathematics and Science Advancement(WIMSA). The WIMSA program will consist of a network of people and organizations, all with the goal of increasing the participation and success of females in mathematics and science. The full proposal will address recruitment of WIMSA network members, sustaining their membership, and expanding the WIMSA program. The PGE DemonstrationPlanning project will focus on the design of all aspects of the WIMSA program.One of the two main planning grant objectives will be to design our pilot project, the annual WIMSA Summer Program (WSP) for middle school girls, which will have the dual purpose ofbeing the initial impetus to bring people into the WIMSA network, and of increasing the skill level of middle school girls and teachers. A planning committee,consisting of two K-12 teachers, two college students, and the two Principal Investigators, will be formed to develop the summer program. The committee willdetermine the size and scope of the program, design program activities and curriculum, and will collaborate with community organizations regarding WSP field activities. The program design will build on the successes of other SMET intervention programs for women across the country.Our other main planning grant objective will be to design the WIMSA network connections and activities. We envision this network bringing together Mesa State faculty and students,K-12 teachers and students, private businesses, government organizations, educationalassociations, community leaders and any local programs involved with science andmathematics. Our first activity will be a WIMSA kickoff meeting, hosted by Mesa State,which will include people from all target organizations and will introduce them to theWIMSA concept. We will create a WISMA Advisory Board that will oversee all aspects of the WIMSA project, including writing the full PGE Demonstration Grant. We will design college courses to provide ongoing SMET activities and training for WIMSA members, including a graduate credit component for K-12 teachers. We will collaborate with local businesses and professionals to design activities for theWSP, internship opportunities for WIMSA college students, job-shadowing opportunities for K-12 students, and presentation opportunities at Mesa State. In order to sustain such relationshipsand collaborations, there will be WIMSA meetings at least threetimes per year. Although there are no programs in our area addressing the lack of females in SMET fields, there are programs and organizations committed to improving our community, and manypeople who wish to make a difference. The WIMSA program will provide an incredible opportunity to harness and coordinate these resources and create a very effective program that will have long-ranging impact.