The State College chapter of Graduate Women in Science will host its 14th annual Voices conference from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Atherton Hotel in State College.
Voices is a professional development and networking conference for those in STEM fields from all career stages. The 2019 conference, which has the theme “Taking Action,” will include speakers, interactive break-out sessions, and a panel discussion.
Jedidah Isler, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Dartmouth College and founder of the STEM en Route to Change Foundation Inc., will serve as the conference’s keynote speaker. Isler, the first African-American woman to graduate with a doctorate in astronomy from Yale University, currently works to understand how black holes are able to create particles that move at the speed of light.
“Dr. Isler really embodies our theme of taking action because she is not only interested in equity for women of color, but she has created programs that make this a reality,” said Latisha Franklin, Voices conference co-chair.
Other speakers will include Wendy Hanna-Rose, head of the Penn State Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Cary Supalo, founder of Independence Science; Karl Booksh, professor of chemistry at the University of Delaware; and Maureen Mulvihill, founder and CEO of Actuated Medical.
The conference also will include opportunities for networking and discussion with speakers and other attendees.
“The Voices conference is a great opportunity to have conversations with scientists from outside my own field and at different points in their careers, from undergraduates to professionals,” said Megan Steves, Voices co-chair. “I always leave the conference feeling energized and excited about the future of STEM.”
Online registration is open to undergraduate and graduate students, post-docs, faculty and professionals, and community members until Jan. 28. Registration information and other event details can be found at https://sites.psu.edu/gwisstatecollege/events/voices/.