AWIS 2008 Scholarship Gala
 

The AWIS Scholarship Gala was held on Saturday April 19, where about 80 AWIS members and supporters gathered at the Coronado Boathouse, overlooking Glorietta Bay, to celebrate women in science and honor the 2008 AWIS San Diego scholarship winners.  The Coronado Boathouse was built in 1887 as an architectural model for the neighboring Hotel Del Coronado and became the first home of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, founded in 1903.  The scientific connection formed the basis for a fun trivia quiz that had gala guests exploring every nook and cranny of the building, now a restaurant, for clues during the networking session before the start of the formal program.

AWIS-SD Past President and Gala Committee Chair Janet White gave a welcoming address and introduced the keynote speaker, Dr. Naomi Oreskes, Professor of History and Science Studies at UCSD. Dr. Oreskes enthralled the audience with a presentation of her personal professional journey and the decisions that had motivated her in choosing her career path.  Using the Darwinian principle of adaptive differentiation, Oreskes carved out a new niche that has allowed her to combine and excel in her twin passions for earth sciences and the philosophy of science.  In a lively Q&A session following her talk, Oreskes spoke about her choices in balancing work and family (she has teenage daughters) and also about the challenges in getting science on to the political agenda. Oreskes’ 2004 essay “The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change” led to various Op-Ed pieces and citations in media outlets; and this study of the scientific consensus on global warming led to congressional testimony and inclusion in Al Gore’s film, “An Inconvenient Truth.” 

AWIS-SD President, Jenny Chaplin presented the scholarship winners with their awards, which include a financial component and a one year AWIS membership.  These young women already have impressive accomplishments and we look forward to following their careers as they continue to excel in their chosen fields.

To round out the afternoon, gala guests then enjoyed a sit-down luncheon, with further networking over dessert.  A truly memorable celebration of our scholarship winners and women in science!

 

 

 

Updated 06/12/08 cl