We\u2019re a student organization sponsored by the\n physics department. We want to change the atmosphere and culture of \nphysics to be more accessible and inclusive. Currently, only 20% of \nphysics degrees are held by women, and only 11% of Bachelor\u2019s degrees \nand 7% of PhDs are held by underrepresented minorities in physics. We \naim to significantly increase the number of female and underrepresented \nminority physics majors on campus by providing an inclusive community, \nprofessional development opportunities, and mentorship for any woman or \nminority interested in physics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have orchestrated mentoring \u201ccoffee dates\u201d where an undergrad is paired with a graduate student who is prepared to spend time with them in a casual setting to answer any questions they may have about diversity, graduate school life and applications, and research interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PhIS has hosted both undergraduate and graduate mixers to allow new \nand old students to acquaint themselves with each other to foster \ncommunity within the department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like reading things that aren\u2019t scientific papers? In winter term of \n2017, PhIS started a book club. We read and discuss books related to \nissues of diversity and inclusion in STEM. Reading books on these topics\n better educates us and helps foster discussion on their role in the \nscientific community as a whole and in our own lives. The club is open \nto graduate and undergraduate students, faculty members, as well as \nfriends and family. In the past we have read \u201cThe Only Woman in the \nRoom: Why Science Is Still a Boys\u2019 Club\u201d by Eileen Pollack, \u201cThe Madame \nCurie Complex: The Hidden History of Women in Science\u201d by Julie Des \nJardins, and \u201cYou Just Don\u2019t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation\u201d \nby Deborah Tannen. We are currently reading \u201cWhistling Vivaldi: And \nOther Clues to How Stereotypes Affect Us\u201d by Claude M. Steele.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For those who don\u2019t have the time to read a full book, or feel like \nthe book isn\u2019t enough and want more to discuss, we also have a journal \narticle discussion group. Weekly pieces are posted to our facebook group\n and\/or emailed to our listserv. The articles read and discussed regard \nsocial justice and ethical issues within physics, science, and academia.\n This winter term the journal discussion group was adopted by the \ndepartment and is offered for a seminar credit as \u201cSocial Topics in \nPhysics\u201d. We are pleased in the enrollment of both undergraduate \ngraduate students in the course, and will be continuing the course for \nthe foreseeable future. We welcome anyone interested to attend the \nseminar, regardless of enrollment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PH 199 course was gracious enough to invite our club to organize \ntwo days of their class this term. On our first visit, we hosted a \nsocial potluck where the students could get to know each other. Our \nsecond visit included running a workshop about how to use inclusionary \npractices with their peers while studying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For several years, the Center for Outreach in Science and Engineering\n for Youth has hosted middle-school aged girls from around the state for\n a morning of hands-on science activities and demos in an event called \n\u201cDiscovering the Scientist Within\u201d. The goal is to spark their interest \nand confidence in doing science by introducing them to cool natural \nphenomena and the passionate scientists who study them. PhIS officially \ntook over the responsibility of organizing the physics program this year\n with the theme of light. The attendees made their own pinhole cameras \nand discussed why an image would appear inverted when viewed through the\n camera. They saw the emission spectra of different gases, looked at \nevery light source in Weniger through our famous diffraction glasses, \nand made light-based art with the help of Ari Denison and long exposure \nphotography. We ended the session with liquid nitrogen ice cream, a \nDiscovering the Scientist Within tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PhIS also hosted a fundraising dinner and silent auction open to \nmembers of the department and their families. Those who attended enjoyed\n eating a three course meal, bidding in a silent auction, and \nparticipating in a trivia competition, all prepared and presented by \nmembers of PhIS. The amount of positive feedback for the event was \noverwhelming and we will, hopefully, be making the fundraising dinner a \nyearly occurrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two of the department colloquiums were organised by PhIS this \nacademic year. Stacey York gave a talk \u201cUncovering and Addressing \nImplicit Bias\u201d and Mary James gave a talk \u201cWhat Does Access Really \nMean?\u201d. Both speakers were invited by PhIS and provided enriching and \nthought provoking lectures on issues of inclusion. We hope to continue \nto be able to invite more speakers in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other future tasks we are hoping to be able to accomplish in the near\n future include organizing a community-wide Science Movie Night at the \nDarkside Theater, spearheading a project to beautify our department\u2019s \nhalf of Weniger, and expanding our undergraduate mentorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check us out on Facebook , join our listserv, or email the officers at phis-officers@science.oregonstate.edu.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We\u2019re a student organization sponsored by the physics department. We want to change the atmosphere and culture of physics to be more accessible and inclusive. Currently, only 20% of physics degrees are held by women, and only 11% of Bachelor\u2019s degrees and 7% of PhDs are held by underrepresented minorities in physics. We aim to… Continue reading