campus news Centre for Women in Science opens
Facility will provide grants, support and networking for female scientists Laurier’s Centre for Women in Science (WinS) celebrated its official launch with a visit from Melissa Franklin, Mallinckrodt professor of physics and chair of the Physics Department at Harvard University. Guests also met the centre’s advisory board and faculty, and participated in hands-on science demonstrations conducted by Laurier students. The WinS mission is to build a strong community for women in science and the mathematical social sciences through research, action and communication. Franklin is a fitting example of the centre’s goals. Born and raised in Canada, Franklin is a pioneer as a scientist and a woman: she was the co-discoverer of the top quark, a fundamental particle of nature, and the first woman to achieve tenure in Harvard’s Physics Department. In 2008, only 30 per cent of mathematics, computer science and information science graduates in Canada were female, which represents a decrease from 35 per cent in 1990. “Although women make up more than a third of full-time faculty in Canada, fewer than 20 per cent of Tier 1 Canada Research Chairs are held by women,” said Abby Goodrum, Laurier’s vice-president: research. “It’s been suggested that the lack of female representation
in prestigious research positions is not due to active choices made during the selection process alone, but the result of many factors that contribute to the ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining women in science, from the earliest stages of their training all the way through their careers.” WinS will provide grants and support to female scientists and to scholars studying the role of women in the sciences. In addition, it will organize seminars, workshops and conferences, develop partnerships with other educational institutions and with industry, facilitate networking and mentoring opportunities for female scientists, and support community outreach to female youth considering careers in science.
Although women make up more than a third of full-time faculty in Canada, fewer than 20 per cent of Tier 1 Canada Research Chairs are held by women. Abby Goodrum, vice-president: research
EMPTY BOWLS Fundraiser returns to Laurier
Actor Colm Feore’s bowl up for auction
Actor Colm Feore puts the finishing touches on his celebrity bowl.
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LAURIER CAMPUS Spring 2013
Laurier’s Robert Langen Art Gallery will host its third Empty Bowls charity event, featuring a silent auction for a celebrity bowl created by actor and Laurier honorary degree recipient Colm Feore. The event takes place on Laurier’s Waterloo campus May 16. Empty Bowls is a long-running annual fundraiser for the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, organized by the Waterloo Potters’ Workshop and the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery. Laurier’s involvement began three years ago when it hosted a special parallel event to celebrate the university’s 100th anniversary. This year, members of the Waterloo Potters’ Workshop will again create 100 bowls for the Laurier event. Participants will have the chance to pick their bowls and enjoy a lunch of five gourmet soups. Earlier this year Feore spent an afternoon at the Waterloo Potters’ Workshop making his bowl for the auction, which begins online April 3 at wlu.ca/emptybowls. The bowls will be on exhibition in the Robert Langen Art Gallery May 8 to 15, from noon to 5 p.m. (except Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12). Tickets for the event are $40 and go on sale April 3. Tickets must be purchased at the gallery. For more information, contact Suzanne Luke at sluke@wlu.ca.