Collegiate Times

The number of women involved in technical and administrative leadership programs at Virginia Tech may be quite small compared to the male population, but AdvanceVT is a pioneering program for women that?s trying to change that. Karen Thole, mechanical engineering professor and co-principal investigator for AdvanceVT, said that the program has a mission to increase the participation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers through comprehensive and creative strategies aimed at institutional transformation. AdvanceVT is running on a five-year grant from the National Science Foundation and is in its third year of operation. "One of the goals of our AdvanceVT program is to increase the number of women in technical and administrative leadership positions here at Virginia Tech," Thole said. "While this is a challenging goal because the representation of women in academia is still quite low particularly in the sciences and engineering, it is a goal that we believe is important in transforming our institution." Peggy Layne, project director of AdvanceVT, said the program hopes people will be inspired and encouraged to pursue leadership roles within the university. AdvanceVT will be holding a panel discussion entitled "Women in Academe: Personal Perspectives and Future Perspective," featuring today?s female leaders from various universities on Friday at the Skelton Conference Center. The idea to entertain a panel discussion on the issue originated with Thole, Layne and Roseanne Foti, associate professor of psychology. Layne said that the objective of the panel discussion is to increase participation of female faculty in academic careers, specifically in science and engineering, and to ensure that they become successful. "It also provides an opportunity for networking with other women," she said. Layne said the women involved in the program?s upcoming discussion panel will be discussing various issues: challenges in the future, those who influence their careers and the best and worst things about their positions. They will also be discussing recommendations for women who are interested in pursuing leadership roles. Thole said that the panel will include Barbara Baird, director of nanobiotechnology from Cornell University; Diane Souvaine, computer science chair at Tufts University; Laura McNeil, physics chair at the University of North Carolina; Vicki Colvin, center for biological and environmental nanotechnology director from Rice University and Judy Vance, mechanical engineering chair at Iowa State University. The panel features women who are directors, department chairs and research directors who will be speaking to faculty about their careers and how they reached their positions of leadership. Layne said that AdvanceVT will continue to sponsor several distinguished lectures. There are also a variety of programs aimed at graduate students who are pursuing faculty careers and programs that help junior women faculty members. AdvanceVT also looks at university policies and collects statistics about women at Virginia Tech.