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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 17, 2000)
Tuesday,October I Ige5 SCIENCE AND TECH Tuesday, October 17, 2000 THE BATTALION onference to focus n women engineers md Mam because of their (pro- ir support of the [Natit for equal rights laws sexual and transeendere Noni Sridhara "he Battalion I The 1940s icon Rosie the Rivet- ■•’s theme “we can do it” sets the lage for the Women in Engineering lonference in Rudder Tower on Ri band Saturday. Jan Rinehart, assistant director illy hot topics for them student engineering programs, Slid the conference’s purpose is to md Bush wouldn’t cartWOvide women in engineering . with a professional develop- ourages it to be an aiti# eiU experience. I arenas This activity J She said the conference encour- l the A&M chtipteA 1 |8 esfemale stude " ts to s,u<| y of the Year Ik iteTctF*™* by P rov ' d "'8 lhem an °P; ^ortunity to interact with Irofessional engineers. I “Our main goals are [to expose lie students] to mentoring and rela- lonship-huilding.” Rinehart said. communities than oo “\y omen are underrepresented in en- where individuals can uij neer j n g nationally. Only 9 percent d can teel too afraidiiif the engineering workforce is igin said. "Sometimes ^ 0 men, so there is a shortage of fe- trying to move a mo.:- male role models, for women engi- • e see situations wherleering students.” e — where women face Rinehart said the first set of »enital mutilation.” 1 lexas A&M female graduates in en- icsters of the march SiM lineering in the 1970s was com- d si<’iis with messaefjpsed entirely of community col- my: It's to die for,"a[ii| e 8 e transfers, is such as "Get backitl nization. eas where there is age: atmosphere, like Austin] ed to change things. £ i “Four percent of the nation’s en gineers were women back then, and now women engineers make up 20 percent of the total,” she said. Dawna Putnam, president of the Society of Women Engineers and a junior mechanical engineering major, said she does not believe that there ‘‘Only 9percent of the engineering workforce is women / so there is a shortage of fe male role models for women engi neering students” — Jan Rinehart assistant director of student engineering programs are competitive discrepancies be tween male and female engineers. “We have made extremely signif icant progress throughout the years,” Putnam said. “We have many more opportunities available to us now.” When asked whether she expects the percentage of women engineers in the workforce to reach 50 percent within the next five to 10 years, Rine hart said it would take a lot of work. However, Rinehart said, the fact that women are getting better offers than men when they graduate is an other step toward increasing the number of women engineers. “We have noticed that women as a group overall generally graduate with higher GPRs than the average male engineer,” she said. “This, combined along with these women engineers’ previous intern ships and/or job experiences, pro vides them with higher salaries upon their graduation.” Workshop topics include “Transi tions from School to Work” and “Be ing the Best in Both Worlds: Family and Career.” Rinehart said the students will be teamed up with mentors who are in dustry professionals so they can network and develop long-lasting relationships. Sponsors for the conference in clude DuPont, IBM and Lockheed Martin. plQl 7 omeffengi neersj iwmrT Jpmen in Engineering [Science & Technology [Conference 7HEN: [Oct. 20, Banquet 6 p.mj [jDct. 21, 7:30 a.m.- >.m. Bijan Afkami, niotivatkmedg^ker mecbanicaLengineer'ofjfield operations for,DuPont JancyLevitO Jniversity Grants! Program*Ad ministration 1 only a few. but those ait /e are here to change, verall. the march wasftj mazing to see all thes| aices known.” chapter and ajuniorpsyj tice that she and the'oil:! Melanoma patients have new treatment she said. “It reminded i iggle for equality. HAMBURG, Germany (AP) —Adding an im- nune system booster to chemotherapy might dou- le the chances of some advanced melanoma pa rents surviving the skin cancer, new research puggests. Melanoma is one of the most rapidly increas- ng cancers in the world and has one of the worst prognoses if it is not caught early. There is cur- I jrrently no treatment that improves survival for peo ple whose melanoma has spread to other pails of the body. Whether they receive chemotherapy treatment % or not, only about 10 percent of those whose dis- pse has spread survive. But using chemotherapy in combination with he immune stimulant interleukin-2 could push iiat up to 20 percent, researchers told scientists athered Monday at a conference of the European iociety for Medical Oncology in Hamburg. The technique only helped those who, despite their cancer having spread to other organs, did not yet feel sick, said the study’s leader, Dr. Ulrich Keilholz. For those who already felt weak all over or were bedridden, it was probably too late to bol ster the immune system, he said. Boosting the immune system with interleukin- 2 would not work early in the development of melanoma because microscopic single cancer cells are not enough to trigger an immune re sponse, Keilholz said. Experts said Keilholz’s findings were promising but preliminary and not ed that the benefit the approach could provide seems limited. Scientists want to do better than 20 percent survival. “It presents progress and it may turn out to be useful,” said Dr. Huber Christoph, chairman of the oncology department at Johanes Gutenberg Uni versity in Mainz, Germany. “But it is not enough. It is one step, but it’s not going to be enough. “After more than 10 years of testing inter leukin-2 we still don’t know the optimal dose, and interleukin-2 can have side effects*” he added. At very high doses, interleukin-2 can result in a sharp drop in blood pressure, fever, chills and blood leaking into tissues. Keilholz said his team has not yet analyzed the side effects experienced by patients in the study. Melanoma occurs when the skin’s pigment cells become cancerous, most often after pro longed exposure to the sun. It is the deadliest of skin cancers, with some 90,000 new cases each year. It kills a total of 15,000 people every year in the United States, Europe and Australia. It can be cured with surgery if it is caught when the tumor is thin and shallow. That happens in about 90 percent of cases. “This is still meaningful because once you are out to two years, your chances are high you will have a stable remission,” Keilholz said. “It is still a step upward.” ONE NIGHT ONLY!!! / at Law Criminal Law at Law of Criminal Law il Specialization JACK INGRAM with E OF: under the influence license suspended larges Roger Creager Sat, Oct 21 5f • Shadow Canyon try an 388 ■18, 2000 nesday MSC 206 FlIFRIV* at/ Terrorism action" Buy pre-sale tickets at.. Dixie Chicken, Shadow Canyon, Chicken Oil Company, Rother’s and Loupot’s Bookstores. Brought to you by Artist Envoy Agency, KORA 98.3 and Shadow Canyon. Benefiting the Brazos Food Bank. Women in Engineering Conference 2000 October 20-21 • Meet and talk with practicing female engineers! « Learn more about your discipline! • Learn about planning a career pathl • Find out what companies are looking for in students! • Attend workshops and panel discussions! • First and second year women- sign up for a corporate mentor through MAPS! r p y r p * r r * p * * r * * p * p? * * * * * x * r* tt * p 9 r f r 9 9 r * * r w r y * * r * * t * * wr Registration forms available in 204 Zaehry Registration is $10 (includes meals, snacks, fun stuff, and a t-shirt Deadline: October 18 Sponsored by: American Airlines, Boeing, Cap Gemini Erast & Young, Conoco, DuPont, ExxonMobil, FMC, Frito Lay, Halliburton Co., IBM, Parsons Briukerhoff, Phillips, Schlumberger, Texaco, Union Carbide Do you feel out of control when you are eating? Do you think you have problems with binge eating or bulimia? A short-term treatment program is now being formed at the TAMU Psychology Clinic to help with these problems. This will be an affordable and scientifically supported treatment that will address: gaining control over binge eating/vomiting, reducing weight and shape concerns, building self-esteem, and developing healthy eating patterns. • For more information call Michelle at the Texas A&M Psychology Clinic - 845-8017 eJtofze. Gentend, # * 9 Of BRAZOS VALLEY FACING AN UNPLANNED PREGNANCY? YOU DON'T HAVE TO FACE IT ALONE. Pregnancy Peer Counseling Service Complete Confidentiality Information on Abortion Risks Free Pregnancy Test Mon., Tues. & Thurs. 9-8 • Wed. & Fri. 9-5 • Sat. 8-12 846-1097 3620 E. 29TH ST • BRYAN www.rtis.com/hope am RUBEN DELUNA/The Battalion SOOE Till Aiiiiii;il meeting Plannees Showcase AT REED ARENA ON THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY CAMPUS Thursday, October 19, 2000 • 10:00 - 4:00 (Come and Go at your leisure) Find out how YOU can create the Perfect Meeting/Conference or Special Event or How WE can help bring your Association's Meeting to Bryan/College Station! Representatives from local conference & meeting planning services will be on hand to answer all of your questions! Meeting Venues Hotels/Motels Restaurants Caterers Printers Transportation Companies Entertainers and many more! ***Bring Business Cards*** Door Prizes will be given away throughout the day! GRAND PRIZE DRAWING: 2 Round Trip Airline Tickets compliments of Continental Airlines to anywhere in the United States! Hosted by: The Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitor Bureau & Reed Arena For more information please contact Erin at 260-9898 ** Please pass this information on - everyone is invited!!! ** (free parking in the front (North) lot of Reed Arena) WORKING TOGETHER TO BRING IT HOME TO BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION! LIBERAL ARTS DISCOVERT NIGHT Tuesday, October IT 01 224 MSC 6:30pm-9:00pm ALUMNI PANEL BREAKOUT SESSIONS: > Career Safari Choosing the Right Major - Student Counseling Services > Leading the Way for Others Teacher Certification - College of Education > On the Road to the Right Job Career Exploration - Career Center > Another Step on the Journey Graduate School Plans - Office of Graduate Studies EMPLOYER RESOURCE TABLES Refreshments & Door Prizes Sponsored by the Career Center, College of Liberal Arts & Student Counseling Services WEHNERFEST # Wednesday- October 18, 2000 llam-2pm Outside Wehner Building on West Campus TEXAS A8eM UNIVERSITY* BUSINESS STUDENT COUNCIL See how much food you can buy for a dollar! FUN! -Everyone welcome -Business organization booths will be there -Live band-featuring FALLOUT -Hot Dogs, Snow Cones, Cotton candy -Bungi Run, outdoor entertainment wehner.tamu.edu/bsc cL3 clot ^0 j Ect The Clothesline Project is a.visual display that bears witness to domestic violence. During the public display, a clothesline is hung with shirts. Each shirt is decorated to represent a particular victim's experience, by the survivor themself or by some one who cares about them. Decorated shirts are due back in the Gender Issues Education Services (211A YMCA) on October 19. Shirts will be displayed in the MSC Flagroom and the Academic Building Rotunda on October 23 and 24. If you would like to volunteer pass out information at the displays, please email sherrees@studentlife.tamu.edu. For more information call 845-1107 or email gies@tamu.edu.