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COVER STORY Great Women –
Great Scientists: The Women of
Sandia National Laboratories On the Cover: Photography by Kyle Zimmerman
Whatever Happened to Service
by Beth Donahue In Good Company by Lynda
Rutedge On a Wing and a Prayer by
Jahaan Martin She Just Keeps on Running by
Joyce Steinberg A SaVi Story by
Jana Lee Aspin A Letter - Janet Vigil An Appeal for Clemency. |
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COLUMNS The Inner You Young Women to Watch Women on the Web Great Reads The Last Word
DEPARTMENTS From My Desk Starting Up Women on the Up & Up Worthy of Note |
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sav.vy. v. understand; comprehend "SaVi" stands for Sisters Against Violence Initiative. The warm flame from a single candle on the stage at the Kiva Auditorium at the Convention Center will represent the struggle of a girl raped by a gang of boys with whom she attended high school. Hayda's Light will burn brightly at the Third Annual Albuquerque Rape Crisis Center's SaVi Fair. The candle will symbolize the nearly 30-year struggle of the girl-turned-woman to come to terms with the attack and the mental and emotional grip it held on her life. Use the brightest ink to mark Thursday, September 23 at 7:30 p.m. on your calendar, because that's the date that one organization is putting on a great show to benefit a very serious issue in our community. Your ticket brings an evening of entertaining, consciousness-raising fun featuring the voices of Linda Cotton, Hillary Smith, Cathryn McGill, P "The stories are about the voictories of rape victims dealing with their past so they can live successfully without memeories torturing their every-day existence," say Cathryn McGill, development director for the Rape Crisis Center (ARCC) McGill, who has a singing voice and style that puts her in demand for performances in and around Albuquerque, came up with the idea after she started working at the center. She wanted to showcase talented performing artists who live in New Mexico during a one-night performance to raise money for the organization. "I believe we have some fine talent in New Mexico. All the individuals who perform in SaVi Fair are headliners," said McGill. "We don't get to work together since we're all doing our own performances. So when we come together for this there's a great synergy to create something." McGill plans to raise at least $40,000 this year from SaVi Fair. "Twenty dollars a ticket is a bargain for the kind of entertainment we're providing. Plus, it helps us support those who have been or will be affected by sexual violence," McGill said. Money raised will suppport the center's 24-hour crisis line, no-cost counseling, and community education services. The crisis line runs 24 hours a day year-round and is staffed by volunteers and center employees. The ARCC offers an age-appropriate kindergarten throught 12th grade violence prevention deucation program in schools. In 2003 they spoke to more than 10,000 students. The Rape Crisis Center was founded in 1973 by a group of women who had the courage and vision to create a place where sexual assault survivors - men, women, and children - could seek help and support. Their dream was to help the victims find the courage to speak out against violence in our community and to create a world without sexual violence. New Mexico ranks third in the nation in the rates of reported forcible sexual assult. Forty percent of the victims that the center see are between the ages of 13 and 19. The fastest-growing number of offender arrests is boys under the age of 20. "We need to work together so that our children will have a violence-free future," said McGill. Last year the ARCC answered more than 1400 calls and responded to 600 requests for an advocate to accompany a victim during a forensic exam or a police interview. The center provided nearly 3600 hours of counseling to survivors who are working on recovery. "Many of our clients are uninsured or underinsured, and could not recieve professional treatment without our services," McGill said. And there are other ways to help. The ARCC has formed the SaVi Business Group. The center is seeking businesswomen to make commitments of at least $250 each to become members. The $250 is the equivalent of the cost of three counseling sessions, or two violence prevention classroom presentations, or one day's operation of the 24-hour hotline. Please join us as we face the challenge of creating a world without sexual violence. SaVi Fair tickets can be purchased at Ticket Master outlets and online at ticketmaster.com or by calling ARCC at (505)266-7711 Jana Lee Aspin is a former broaddcast reporter and public relations professional with a degree in journalism. She now does real estate investing as a Realtor(r), fused glass artwork, and is "Mom" to her 12-year-old son. She volunteers fer public relations skills for SAVI Fair. |
THE INNER YOU Eyesight is precious, enabling us to see what’s going on around us. Through words, photographs, and new technologies we can see under oceans, into outer space, and inside our bodies. Understanding the world and ourselves is a fascinating but slow process, never fully realized, though we develop knowledge, skills, and cautions to help us along the way. We also see troubling things such as violence and trash along the highway. Vision is much more than eyesight. Unique among God’s creatures, we can imagine possibilities – though limited by internal filters of habit or belief. Imagine a child splashing in puddles, kicking rainwater into the air. Some will see only muddy feet and a dirty face. Others will see the wonder and exuberance of discovery. What we see is influenced by what we want, fear, love, or despise. The abducted child may have seen only a friendly adult offering candy, a vision that soon drastically changes. A vision of being included or excluded, owning or tasting this or that, tempts us. Marketers successfully capitalize on our imagination, seducing millions to become overwhelmed with credit card debt. We didn’t imagine bankruptcy, or creditors hounding us. Achievements of inventors, artists, engineers and benevolent organizations all begin with a vision. Wars are fought over imagined conquest, whether based on greed, hatred, or a vision of peaceful equality among all. There is, however, a long road between a vision and its successful culmination. Overcoming obstacles of physical limitation and attitude require patience and being satisfied with small steps. It helps to periodically assess our visions. Hand-wringing isn’t a good outcome for a good vision. You can empower yourself by focusing on something worthy, then assessing what aspect is within your ability to influence. Choose one of your current visions for yourself, your family, the nation or the world to determine whether or not you should tweak it a bit.
We may not be able to buy a new house, but we can clean up the one we have. We can’t order media moguls to curtail the violence and shallow fare programmed for kids, but we can protest through speaking out, phone calls, boycotts, e-mail or our legislators. We can’t control a toxic workplace, but we can spread a little kindness, and avoid malicious gossip. What do you see? It depends on what you want to see. Today, I choose to shut out the violence in the Middle East. I will avoid news, pull some weeds, read a book, clean out a drawer, call a friend, and play with a grandchild. Tomorrow I may try to better inform myself of the truth behind political spin so as to vote for whomever or whatever I deem best. To pursue any vision, we have to renew our spirits on a regular basis, so we can then use our energy to try to make things better. Imagine that. Dr. Walker is Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas, and spent many years as a management consultant and clinical psychologist. She is now a writer living in Albuquerque. |
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by Sabra Brown Steinsiek
Chemists, and Computers, and Physics. Oh, my! Throw in four husbands, eight children, one dog, three cats, and a fish, and you have these four super-achieving women among the many female scientists of Sandia National Laboratories
B.S. University of Puget Sound
Christine Coverdale comes from a family of chemists, so it was not a surprise when science became her focus. "In high school and as an undergraduate, physics was the only thing I found challenging," she said. "The rest is history." That history includes a stint in private industry before coming to Sandia Labs in 1997 where she works on developing x-ray sources, studying radiation effects, and helping to develop accurate computer models that predict the effects of radiation. While she found the scope in private industry to be limiting, she praises Sandia for their "wealth of opportunities." Sandia has been willing to let her choose, within the projects needed, those she would enjoy. She has been a team participant, team leader, and project manager over the years, as well as a mentor for newer hires. She feels that within Sandia she has many opportunities. "In the general world of jobs, I would say there are only a handful of places where I could find a position doing anything similar to what I do here," she says. Married to Chris Mirate, a Sandia engineer, she faces the "two-body problem" of finding a place for both of them should they decide to relocate. Relocation, however, is not in her plans. Sandia has accommodated her needs as a parent to Audra, Adam, and Adrien, with flexible work hours as well as occasional freedom to work from home. Additionally, Sandia encourages professional activities beyond work. Christine has served as a member of the Executive Committee for the IEEE Plasma Science and Applications committee, and guest editor of the Journal of Radiation Effects, and she has organized the 4th International Workshop on the Physics of Wire Arrays. She also finds time to work as a volunteer for the Campfire Rocket Reader Program at Wherry Elementary in Albuquerque. "I am a firm believer," she says, "of helping kids who, with just a little more encouragement, could achieve so much more." Her leisure time is spent with her family, reading, playing volleyball, and making stained glass pieces. Her advice to women considering the scientific field? "I think all women who choose to enter technical arenas need to be prepared to cope with stereotypes and some folks who won't always appreciate working with or for women," she says. "There are still some areas that are almost exclusively male, and it can be particularly tough to be accepted."
B.S.E. Princeton Julia Hsu liked physics just a little more than chemistry when she was in middle school. Those interests led to her work in applied sciences at the intersection between pure science and true engineering. She says, "I think of myself as a materials physicist, working in truly interdisciplinary fields to uncover the fascinating properties of materials," says Julia. Her road to Sandia led from her birth in Taiwan to U.S. immigration at age of 16, then through the University of Virginia Physics Department, where she was the only female member (out of 35) of the department faculty, earning her tenure a year early. She did scientific research for Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies before she and her husband, Mark Lee, were hired at Sandia. They have one son, Duncan. Her freshman honors physics class had only four women in a class of 52. She was the only one to obtain a Ph.D. in physics. In her incoming graduate class of 16, only four were women, and only two made it to Ph.D. She finds the job opportunities in basic scientific research are becoming more limited with choices mainly in academia or government labs. However, with a background in basic research, she says, there are a variety of different careers in management, manufacturing, or medical research.
B.A. Columbia University As an avid reader and storyteller, Susan Rempe thought she would grow up to be a writer, but the call of science proved stronger. Her first solo research project was in her senior year of high school, when she checked out Montana's Flathead Lake to discover if it was polluted or pristine. "I enjoyed every aspect of the project, from the planning stage right through to writing it all up. I think this early positive experience with real scientific research propelled me to where I am now." Susan works as a theoretical chemist in Sandia's Computational Biology Department. "I pursue research in biology because I'm intrigued by how biological structures achieve their myriad functions." "Success is a challenge because it requires making original contributions to the state of knowledge in the field, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and attracting new funding", she says. Susan was in the first coeducational class at Columbia University in New York City. Coming from a well-integrated public high school, she didn't find it remarkable that there would be equal number of men and women in her class. During graduate school she saw the same almost equal numbers begin but far fewer women finished. Many who dropped out were pregnant with their first child. Susan was pregnant with her second, and later, twins. "my advisor bent over backwards to make sure motherhood wouldn't prevent me from pursuing my educational goals. My husband and mother also gave me the support I needed to succeed," she says. Susan and her husband, Gary, enjoy time with their children Caroline, Philip, and twins Greg and Clara. As a family, they participate in the Kirtland Aquatic Club, where Susan is a master swimmer recently winning four events at the New Mexico Games Meet. "I believe in pursuing physical activity for the whole family, both organized and outdoor sports. We make time to introduce our friends and the children's friends to wilderness activities like hiking, climbing, rafting, and kayaking," she says. Susan, a concert pianist who has soloed with the Albuquerque Symphony, believes in "the power of music to uplift the spirit," and she strives to give "the wonder of music" to her audiences. She also supports her alma mater, Columbia University, as a recruiter, fund raiser, and member of the alumni committee. On the question of being a role model. Susan responded, "Young women will seek me out to discuss how it is possible to have a happy and fulfilling family life while pursing a challenging career in scientific research. The message I try to impart is that it's rewarding to live deliberately and to pursue your dreams in every aspect of life, but that you have to be willing to forgive yourself for the mistakes you're bound to make along the way."
BS University of Massachusetts/Amherst An interest in the structure and characterization of materials led Lauren Rohwer to a career in Materials Science. She researches how they can be used in applications like sensors or flat-panel displays. A native of Connecticut, Lauren worked in industry doing fiber optic research for a year between her BS and MS degrees. Studying at three different schools, Lauren saw no problems in how women were accepted into her programs. She says that materials scientists have many professional opportunities at national laboratories, universities, and industry. Some of these jobs focus on fundamental research, while others are more applied, with an emphasis on developing a new product or device. "Sandia," she continues, "has a wide range of research activities and laboratory capabilities." Lauren and her husband, Judd, enjoy the outdoors. Along with gardening, they ski, mountain bike, and hike. She serves as the Chair of the Luminescence Display Materials Division of the Electrochemical Society. Her advice to young women considering a scientific career is to remember "the education process doesn't end after you earn your degree. Always continue to learn new science, develop new skills, and branch out into new areas. I got to where I am now by taking on new challenges outside of familiar surroundings. Stand up for yourself and be confident in your abilities." Christine, Julia, Susan, and Lauren are all at the top of their chosen fields of science. They have come to Sandia for personal and professional reasons, and achieved what few women have. They have made sacrifices along the way and difficult choices (as have many professional women), but their determination, and their perseverance have brought them a true measure of success and they have proven their worth in a predominately male dominated world. We could not ask for better role models for the young women who will follow in these women's footsteps. For more information go the Sandia National Laboratories Website at www.sandia.gov Sabra Brown Steinsiek is a regular contributor to New Mexico WOMAN and author of the prize-winning novel Timing Is Everything. Her third novel will be released in November 2004. She can be reached through her website, http://www.sabrasteinsiek.com. |
Women on the web Check out these websites to learn about women in sports. The Association for Women in Sports Media (www.awsmonline.org) is an organization of women who work in the sports media. The organization was established in 1987. AWSM offers an annual scholarship/internship program for female college students who plan to pursue careers in any sports communication field: writing, copyediting, public relations, broadcasting, Internet, or photography. Winners in each category receive a $1000 scholarship and an internship. At the website of Women in Sports Careers (www.wiscfoundation.org) you'll find the following categories: Internship of the Week, Hot Jobs of the Week, Online Career Center, Resume Central, Sports Jobs Database, and Women's Sports Wire. Choosing Online Career Center takes you to Women Sports Jobs & Sports Career Counseling & Sports Resume Writing Services. The page is very cluttered, but it has a wealth of information, and is worth your time to investigate. Clicking on Women's Sports Wire takes you to the "#1 Resource for Women's Sports News and Information™" where you can check out College Sports, High School Sports, and the Olympics. An article by Del Jones (USA Today, 3/26/2002) states that sports teach valuable lessons and that many successful women are also athletic. Most female executives participated in organized sports when in high school or college. It is perhaps the competitive nature of sports that helps female executives in their careers. You can find the article by going to www.usatoday.com and searching (Author: Del Jones; Date Range 3/1/2002 to 3/31/2002). The Women in Sports website (www.makeithappen.com/wis) states "Women will find the courage and daring to follow their goals." It lists 31 sports from Archery and Baseball to Water Sports and Weight Lifting. Clicking on a sport takes you to a list of mainly biographical sites. The size of the list depends on the sport. Bowling listed only three; Golf listed over 500. For example the list under Ice Skating has speed skater Bonnie Blair and figure skaters Dorothy Hamill, Michelle Kwan, Tara Lipinski, and Kristi Yamaguchi. At www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0771262.html you'll also find a list of sports (24) but clicking on a sport provides you with not only biographical info, but also the history of the sport. For example, under Bowling you'll find "Women first bowled in the 1880s, despite social disapproval. The first women's bowling tournament took place in 1917 in St. Louis, Missouri. Jennie Kelleher of Wisconsin was the first woman to bowl a perfect 300 game (1930)." An excellent website to visit is the History of Women in Sports
Timeline (www.northnet.org/stlawrence Happy surfing! Geraldine Mosher is a computer consultant and trainer, as well as a freelance writer. Her business is Your Computer Tutor, (505) 296-4042. She is also the owner of Top Quality Publications. Check out her website at www.topqualitypublications.com. |
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Whatever Happened to Service? Technology is wonderful. Computers, cell phones, pagers, palm pilots, and so many gadgets help us lead a more organized and efficient life. With all of this amazing technology, however, I think there is something missing, and that is customer service. Webster's dictionary defines a customer as "one who gives his customer to a particular store or business house, a patron." Service is described as a "performance of labor for the benefit of another." My dictionary is dated 1947, so it is possible that the definitions have changed considerably. Several years ago I moved into new office space and needed two shelves, three shelf brackets and a steel bar "thingy" that holds files in my desk drawer. Rather than try to explain what a "thingy" was, I took brackets and bar in hand for show and tell at the hardware store. I handed the hardware man the bar and said I only needed one piece exactly the same size as the one I gave him. I told the shelf man that I wanted two shelves cut exactly 34 1/2 inches long, and three more brackets like the one I showed him. I received three bars 1 inch shorter than my sample, two shelves 34-3/4 inches long, on bracket the correct size, and two shorter. When I went to the "Customer Service Desk," Mr. Service just smiled and called bar and shelf man back. Bar man was furious and slammed his tape measure on the counter and looked at me like he wanted to saw on my neck. Shelf man huffed away to re-cut the shelving. I found the correct brackets. While shopping for jewelry at a department store out of town, I picked out my selection and wrote out a check. I had lots of identification, including a photo on my driver's license. My license number couldn't be entered into their computer after three sales people and a manager tried. I was told they would not accept my check and would not sell me the jewelry! I wanted an audiotape and went to one of those "we carry everything" appliance stores. I looked for the tape and could not find it. I approached three salesmen standing around talking to one another and asked if they had any Delbert McClinton tapes. They paged another salesperson that met me at the tape counter. When I asked him where I could find Delbert he replied, "I am just a salesman here, and people come in and move these tapes all around and I don't know if we have it or not." Before I moved to Albuquerque my apartment windows needed washing, but hanging out an eighth floor window was not an option for me. I called a window cleaning company that promised to come on Thursday. Two weeks later they still hadn't arrived. My calls were not returned. I left messages at two other window cleaning companies and never heard from them. I could only assume they were too busy making money and did not need my business. For that same apartment I bought carpeting. Some metal stripping came up and needed a special tool to repair it. The metal was extremely sharp and if stepped on could slice a foot. I called the carpet company and they said they would be there on Friday. Two weeks later I was still looking for them. It was finally repaired only after repeated mean and threatening phone calls. I called an answering service company and was told to call back later. I won't even tell you about my phone voice mail system, my bank, and how I had to order my business cards three times. I feel like I am on the wrong track. I have worked weekends and holidays in my practice to accommodate clients. I am available 24 hours a day to be more accessible. I strive to return all calls within two hours. I spend time answering questions because I want to educate people about hypnotherapy and how it works. I send thank-you notes. I donate my services to charity. I thought that if you gave good service, were the best in your profession, and treated clients with dignity and respect, you would be successful. My experiences lead me to a new definition of customer service."Develop an attitude that the customer is interruption you, get rid of them as soon as you can, and whatever you do, don't try to help because they might come back, and never, ever answer your own phone. If my definition is correct I can't imagine why so many companies are trying to go out of business. If my definition is wrong, then I definitely need an attitude adjustment. I like computer, sell phones, pagers and all those other nifty timesaving devices, but let's not forget who makes these high-technology purchases possible. Beth Donahue, MH, is a clinical hypnotherapist and counselor in private practice and can be reached at (505) 248-9700 or at NMWBethDonahue@aol.com |
Technology and Escape Technology is here to stay and we realize more each day that it is a critically important part of our businesses and our lives. It wasn't that many years ago that I dragged my feet on buying a fax machine for our office - now I wonder how we ever got along without one. Scientists at Sandia National Labs have provided incredible new technology to the private sector as well as to government. They also provide some terrific career opportunities to women, and have great flexibility benefits for women with families. Some days, though we just want to get away from it all. Sports, travel, and social events can help us do that. While touring companies that specialize in women are not a new idea, they certainly are a rapidly growing industry. They provide an opportunity to connect with other women whether they are friends, family, or strangers; they also provide a safe ways to travel for women who would otherwise have to travel alone. Many include numerous options: a real workout, like hiking or kayaking , or more leisure activities like sightseeing, shopping, with time to "stop and smell the roses." This month we highlight two very important events in our community that are coming up soon. You can have a terrific time and address serious issues in the process. The first, in September, is the SaVi Fair to benefit the Albuquerque Rape Crisis Center. This stage show includes comedy, drama, and music to showcase stories of some of the women affected, while also raising money for the initiative. The other, in November, honors nurses through awards and recognition, at the same time, bringing attention to the frightening shortage of nurses, which is increasing more rapidly each year. This is not just in New Mexico; it is a national crisis. Think about who will take care of us in our retirement; who will take care of generations to come? Of course, we cannot talk about events without mentioning our own Young Women of Promise awards on October 2. This is a great opportunity to recognize young women who have shown an extraordinary commitment to the needs of the communities in which they live. Watch for more information next month. Lastly, although we do not usually reprint lengthy letters, this month we have made an exception. I know practically nothing about Janet Vigil; therefore I cannot judge her guilt or innocence. However, I'm sure you will agree the case of Janet Vigil is hard to ignore or dismiss. Having already served 15 years of a life sentence for shooting an abusive husband, she will not even be eligible for parole until 2017 - having then served 27 years. I am told she is not an unusual case. Women typically serve far greater time for such a crime than men do. One explanation I was given is that there is less prison space available for men; therefore they are paroled much earlier to make room for others. Where's the equity in that? Something is very wrong with this picture. We hope that you will think about this, and if you agree, take the time to notify the appropriate officials of your concern.
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Lauren
Shea Rohwer:
