Q: (Initially posted on December 13, 2002) FROM MENTEE ERIN R. IN VA
My school recently formed a Science Honor Society, and I have become a
co chair of the speaker's committee. Since this is our first year, we don't
really have a framework of how to get speakers. Do you have any suggestions
on how I could get 2-3 speakers in the Washington DC Metro area to come talk
at my school? They just need to talk about something that would interest
high school Juniors and Seniors that relates to science. Thanks

December 16, 2002
A: FROM MENTOR MINI VARUGHESE IN MD
FROM Mini Varughese
I would be happy to post your request to the Association for Women in Science, Bethesda and DC chapters. Would you like me to?

A: FROM MENTOR MAYLING WONG IN IL
Professional science and engineering organizations are a good source for
volunteer speakers. For instance, the Society of Women Engineers has a
commitee called Career Guidance. They usually can find volunteers in SWE
who would like to speak to students about engineering. In the DC area,
the SWE chapter's career guidnace head is Debbie Johnson. More
information can be found at http://www.swe-bws.org/cg/cg.html

A: FROM MENTOR KELLY BROWN IN MO
Hi Erin, I don't think you will have any problem finding some speakers for
your Science Honor Society. You live in a great area for science, there is
a lot going on in the DC area. I would recommend that you first contact
professors at local universities. You can do this by phone, but an even
better way is to contact them by e-mail. You should be able to get this
info from the Universities web site.

Ask them if they would like to give a presentation to your group, or
alternatively, do they know someone else they could recommend to you. Most
places have people who love to do this sort of thing.

In addition to inviting bench research scientists/professors as speakers,
you might be able to locate scientists who are working in agencies such as
the USDA, who can give you insights regarding other types of scientific
careers.

Just don't be afraid to ask people to speak for your group. You are likely
to be surprised at the positive responses you will get. Good luck.

A: FROM MENTOR SHEILA ENGLAND IN PA
Here are a few ideas:
1. Place an ad for volunteers in your local paper(s) or in the school
newsletter distributed to those in living in your school district.
2. Contact your local school board members and ask them for help.
3. Call the science center, the zoo, the aquarium, the aviary, the library,
local community college and the museum.
4. Search the internet for businesses with science-oriented products and
technological products. Send them email or call them.
5. Perhaps, a mentor or mentors from GEM-SET from Washington, DC area is
willing to come.
6. If your school has the facilities, perhaps your group might be able to
organize a video-conference or a web-conference. It would be a great
learning experience organizing it and pulling it off together.

A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS IN KS
A: Erin, there are two easy ways to get speakers.
One is to contact someone at your local branch of the Society of
Women Engineers. They often do things like send speakers to
schools. The Baltimore-Washington section has a web site
http://www.swe-bws.org/ The officers and their email addresses
are listed on http://www.swe-bws.org/org/officers.htm
You could send them an email and ask how you would go
about getting someone from their group to come speak at your school.
Another possibility is to contact a student section of the Society
of Women Engineers, or a Women in Engineering Program office,
at a university in your area, and ask for help in getting speakers.
For example, the University of Maryland has such a program
http://www.eng.umd.edu/wie/. You could also go directly to a science
or engineering department at a local university and ask if they would
like to send someone to your school. Many times universities have
formal programs where they send out their students to talk with
high school kids. Kansas State University has a group called
Engineering Ambassadors that does just that - they go out and talk
to high school kids and do some hands on activities as well.
I hope this helps!