Event to Encourage Science, Math Careers

The sixth annual Brighter Horizons Careers in Math and Science Conference for sixth- through 12th-grade girls will be held March 7.

Women from several math and science professions, including architects, marine biologists, veterinarians and engineers, will offer about three dozen hands-on workshops.

The conference, which began with 100 girls, now attracts between 900 and 1,000 girls countywide.

“If you look at the vocational fields, so many that are math- or science-oriented have few women in them,” said conference director Terri Lisagor. “With the workshops, we can give the girls a reason to get more excited about math and science classes. It’s like our carrot at the end of the stick of ‘look what you can do.’ ”

The first 700 to register will receive a conference T-shirt.

Each student who attends four workshops will receive a continental breakfast and lunch.

The application filing deadline is Saturday, but late applications will be accepted.

The conference is $6 for those who preregister and $10 for those registering on site. Conference organizers encourage preregistration because workshops will be limited the day of the conference.

The conference will be held at Rio Mesa High School off Central Avenue in Oxnard from 9 a.m. to 1:35 p.m. Call 483-8622 to preregister.

The Boeing Co. will also offer a free parent/teacher workshop from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. in the Rio Mesa library to teach adults how to get young people excited about math and science. No registration is required for that workshop.