University Calendar

Part of Women Entrepreneurship Week, we will host a lively panel discussion about the dearth of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields, and innovative ways to move change in this area. Awareness of the need for women in STEM and girls as value creators has grown, but awareness without viable opportunities does not help us move further along in the trajectory for change.

In any movement, there are small catalysts for change that together bring forward a new opportunity to engage. The talk will include how Big Dream can be one of those catalysts and how we can build on the momentum of Big Dream to go from awareness to creation of viable opportunities for engagement and inclusion. Microsoft’s Big Dream Movement connects organizations, academia, and resources to girls around the world to help them pursue a future in STEM fields. The movement is anchored by Big Dream, an Iron Way Films documentary that follows the stories of seven young women who are breaking barriers and overcoming personal challenges to follow their passions in STEM fields. Big Dream segments will be shown to launch a discussion about the importance of including voices of girls in the creation of solutions in STEM as well as the importance of diversity of thought for innovation (on the grounds that we can’t drive innovation if we keep bringing the same voices to the innovation table).  Montclair State professor Dr. Nicole Bryan will then facilitate the panel discussion.

This event is day three of Women Entrepreneurship Week in New Jersey.

Event is supported by Children's Specialized Hospital, EisnerAmper, Horizon BCBSNJ, and WithumSmith+Brown. NJBIZ is the media sponsor.

Panelists include:
Lauren Gula, manager of social sustainability and women empowerment, United Nations Global Compact;

Katherine Herbert, associate professor of Computer Science, Montclair State University;

Jinisha Patel, student, NJIT; 

Judith A. Sheft, associate vice president, Technology Development, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT);

Meiyin Wu, professor of biology and molecular biology, director of Passaic River Institute, Montclair State University

Moderator: Nicole Bryan, assistant professor, Management, Montclair State University

Event will include digital messages from Rane Johnson-Stempson, principal research director, Microsoft Research; Jennifer Breslin, Knowledge, Innovation and Technology Development coordinator, UN Women; Lisha Sterling, executive director, Geeks Without Bounds.

Event is free.

Agenda:
6:00-6:45 p.m. Networking with hor d'oeuvres
6:45-7:00 p.m. Welcome and announcements
7:00-8:30 p.m. Panel discussion with audience Q&A

Join the conversation on social media: #WEW and @FelicianoCenter