BWIS Career Day Held at Brookhaven Lab

April 18, 2016

BWIS career day enlarge

High school students participated in this years BWIS career day at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

On March 30, Brookhaven Women in Science (BWIS) hosted a career day for young women from nearby high schools who are interested in careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The event featured tours of some of the Lab’s world-class research facilities and presentations by two speakers: Cathy Cutler, director of Brookhaven’s Medical Isotope Research and Production Program, and Kristine Horvat, former Brookhaven intern, BWIS member, and adjunct professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology at Farmingdale State College.

Accompanied by their teachers, the students from Hauppauge High School, Islip High School, Shoreham Wading River High School, and Hampton Bays High School visited the Interdisciplinary Science Building, Center for Functional Nanomaterials and the National Synchrotron Light Source II. They also participated in a “speed-chat” with Brookhaven science professionals Andreas Liapis, Anna Goldberg, Chelsea Whyte, Dhananjay Ravikumar, Jennifer Higbie, Laura Fierce, Neil Robinson, and Tiffany Victor, who work in different roles at the Laboratory including communications and research ranging from medical radioisotope production to accelerator research and development, environmental and climate sciences, and photon sciences. 

Throughout the program, the Brookhaven staff encouraged the students to try new things, such as finding networks of support like clubs focused on STEM at their school or by seeking leadership opportunities such as internships to develop skills they may not have been aware they have. 

“They were excited to experience all of the different ways you can have a career in science and the many different roles people have in science discovery,” said Kahille Dorsinvil, who serves as an outreach coordinator for BWIS. “The event—made possible by the hard work and time and energy from BWIS members and supported by Brookhaven staff and volunteers—was a great success,” Dorsinvil said. 

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