On Saturday, Nov. 18, Schreiner University will host its 16th “Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Mathematics” conference for Hill Country area sixth-eighth grade girls. These conferences, co-sponsored by Schreiner University and the American Association of University Women and funded by the RGK Foundation, are designed to nurture young girls' interest in science and math courses. It also serves to encourage them to consider science and math-based career options, such as engineering, computer science and physical science.

Schreiner freshman Kathryn Calhoun, who first attended an EYH conference at Schreiner when she was a middle school student, is leading a lab at this year’s conference. She remembers, “I hadn't always been interested in science and math, because when I was in middle school all of the subjects seemed the same. Upon going to EYH, I realized that I had more potential than I'd thought. Science and math are now my two favorite subjects, and I would definitely say that I excel in these two above any others.”

Dr. Diana Comuzzie, Schreiner professor of biology and Dean of the Trull School of Sciences and Mathematics, is the spark plug behind Schreiner’s participation in EYH.  “It is important to target middle school girls because they are beginning to make decisions about the courses they will take in high school,” Comuzzie said. “We want them to know that in order to have as many career options as possible, they should take as much math as they can. We also want these girls to know that women scientists are bright, beautiful, intelligent and successful. And science and math are fun.”

In 1976, the first EYH took place at Mills College in Oakland, California. Over the years the number of conferences has increased and spread throughout the USA and overseas. Each EYH conference features activities in which girls participate in hands-on math, science and engineering activities, led by women mathematicians, scientists and engineers. Through these challenging workshops, young women learn that studying math and science can be fun. They participate in fascinating experiments and come to understand the importance of studying as much math and science as possible in high school.

Young girls who have attended these conferences in the past have reported an increase in the number of non-required math and science courses they planned to take, and follow-up surveys revealed that these students took even more math and science than they previously planned, and also explored additional information about non-traditional math and science careers.

To sign up for this year’s conference, contact your middle school counselor for registration forms and information, or e-mail Comuzzie at comuzzie@schreiner.edu.