MSU will welcome a swarm of local junior high girls on Nov. 17 for the annual Math, Science & U girls’ Conference – no boys allowed.

Twelve years ago, computer science professor Ranette Halverson and Linda Fosnaugh, associate math professor created the conference based on inspiration gathered at a mathematics conference group attended by Fosnaugh.

Halverson and Fosnaugh joined forces and decided they would create a girls-only math and science fair with the sole purpose of encouraging young girls to pursue careers in fields that are still dominated by men.

“The sciences still tend to be dominated by the guys,” Halverson said. “Those of us [women] who have chosen careers in the sciences want other girls to know it is a wonderful choice. They can have lots of fun as well as choosing a career with many challenges and have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the world.”

This year’s theme will be “Math & Science!  It’s a Girl Thing!” and the conference is headed by computer science professor Catherine Stringfellow and associate math professor Michelle Knox.

It will include guest speaker, Kandyce Bohannon, who is also an alumnus  and software engineer at 3M’s display and graphics research lab in Austin.

Professional women in the math and science field will lead the four workshop. In addition, 20 MSU students, graduate students, faculty and staff were recruited to volunteer to be leaders and mentors for the girls.

The visiting junior high girls will get first-hand experiences from female scientists at MSU and surrounding areas, and past attendees are always exited to return, Halverson said.

In fact, Halverson’s two nieces attended the conference in years past.

“One recently graduated with a degree in computer science, and the other is majoring in mathematics,” she said.

Stringfellow has been the chair of the conference since 2003 and Knox joined her in 2010 as co-chair.

According to Stringfellow and Knox, many young girls have the preconception that girls aren’t any “good” in the fields of science and mathematics.

“It’s simply not true,” Stringfellow explained. “We are normal and we love our jobs.”

Knox said many junior high girls are not exposed to careers in the math and science field and so many of them are simply not aware of all the opportunities available for them.

“We conduct surveys at the beginning and end of each conference to gauge the interest level of the girls in the math and science field,” Knox said. “Every year, the percentage of interest level greatly increases as the girls get to experience the workshops and he hands-on experiments conducted.”

According to Stringfellow and Knox, the girls ‘squeal’ with delight at each of the intriguing workshops provided and they can both attest to the fun had by the girls by the level of hearing loss at the end of the day.

The level of excitement can also be measured by the overwhelming number of questions the girls ask to both the workshop leaders and lunchtime presenters.

The co-chairs also love to see the conference t-shirts from years past being worn around town by the girls.

“The girls go back home or to school and carry on that level of interest and excitement with their peers,” Stringfellow said.

Math and science workshop leaders will include professors in physics, chemist, program specialist from the Oklahoma City Museum of Ostelogoy as well as women from United Regional Hospital.

“The conference is free to the girls and their teachers which, of course, demonstrates our commitment not only to MSU, but to the Wichita Falls area,” Halverson said.

It also displays to the girls that the idea of “college” is not so foreign or out-of-reach.

The girls get to mingle with students, graduate students, professors and professionals throughout the day, and make the idea of college life much more relaxed and attainable, Stringfellow said.

“For many of the girls, this is the first time they have ever visited a college campus,” Stringfellow said.

Lunch will be provided and will include UV bead-making during that time for the girls to form into bracelets, Knox said.

The president’s office fundes the conference along with the office of University Advancement.

In years past, Stringfellow said, the conference has received donations from local businesses as well.

“In addition, the various College of Math and Science Departments provide small amounts of funding or purchase some of the necessary items,” she said. “We also receive donations of MSU items from offices all over campus (caps, tshirts, mugs, etc.) to use as door prizes for girls and teachers.”

Stringfellow and Knox also want the community to be aware that MSU offers a vast array of departments that will cater to the girls should they choose to pursue a career in the math and science fields.

“We really hope that the girls will realize their potential to become great scientists,” Knox continued. “We also hope that when they do make a decision, they will choose MSU as their university.”

The Math, Science & U girls conference will be held Saturday, Nov. 17, 8:45 a.m to 2:30 p.m. in Bolin Hall, with the exception of lunch, which will be held in Comanche Suites.