Isishawaii: The Power Of One Plus One For Bringing Girls And Young Women Into The Science And Engineering Pipeline
- Conference
- Location
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Honolulu, Hawaii
- Publication Date
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June 24, 2007
- Start Date
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June 24, 2007
- End Date
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June 27, 2007
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Women in Engineering
- Page Count
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11
- Page Numbers
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12.991.1 - 12.991.11
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--2743
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/2743
- Download Count
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311
Paper Authors
Lynn Fujioka isisHawaii and Women in Technology
In 2002, Lynn Fujioka left the advertising industry after 25 years to launch isisHawaii, a women's online mentoring resource. Since partnering in 2003 with The Women in Technology (WIT) Project (a statewide workforce development initiative administered by The Maui Economic Development Board and funded, in part, by the U.S. Departments of Education, Agriculture and Labor), Lynn's new-found passion in educational outreach provides a rewarding outlet for her creative and business skills.
Sheryl Hom isisHawaii and Women in Technology
Ms. Hom is Vice-President and Director of Content Development for isisHawaii. She has served as editor and media specialist for the MEDB Women in Technology Project since 2004, lending her writing skills to WIT¹s broad range of programs statewide. As President and Owner of HomCreative, a creative marketing company, she knows firsthand the challenges and rewards of a women-owned business. She holds a B.A./Journalism from the University of Hawaii and an M.A./Journalism from the University of Oregon.
Leslie Wilkins Maui Economic Development Board
Ms. Wilkins is Vice President of the Maui Economic Development Board and is the Founder and Director of its Women Technology Project. An experienced advocate for workplace equity, served as National President of the Business & Professional Women’s organization in 2001. Appointed by the Hawaii governor to two terms on the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, she was Commission Chair from 1996 - 2003.
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
isisHawaii: The power of One+One brings girls into the science and engineering pipeline
Abstract
In 2002, isisHawaii launched the first Hawaii-based online mentoring program to help local women network with other women in various professional fields. Since 2003, with a seed grant from The Women in Technology (WIT) Project (a statewide workforce development initiative funded in part by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Agriculture and Education), isisHawaii’s One+One eMentoring Program has provided support early in the education process, targeting pre-college female students seeking non-traditional careers in science and technology.
This paper will discuss how isisHawaii and WIT effectively built upon available eMentoring models, including presidential award-winning MentorNet, to develop community-based, culturally appropriate and cost-effective programming that would have positive career implications for Hawaii’s girls and women. As it follows the One+One program from inception through its first three years, the paper discusses survey highlights, anecdotal findings and program revisions/enhancements that produced successful results.
Background
In Hawaii, as across the nation, critical shortages in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce have generated substantial interest from government and industry leaders to increase the recruitment and retention of women, and other underrepresented groups in STEM education and employment1.
“At a time when we face a shortage of skilled STEM workers who are U.S. citizens, women provide an untapped national resource to fill the workforce pipeline,” acknowledged U.S. Senator Inouye (D-HI)2 in his 2004 floor statement to the Senate.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics published in 2000, the ten fastest growing jobs through 2010 are in the technology and medical fields, with eight of the ten in the STEM fields, i.e., Systems Analyst, Database Administrator, Desktop Publisher, Network Systems and Data Communications Analyst, Network and Systems Administrator, Systems Software Engineer, Support Specialist, Software Application Engineers.
Concurrently, the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations reported in 2002, that three of the top ten fastest growing Hawaii jobs from 2000 to 2010 will be in Information Technology. The State is also experiencing an expansion in the hi-tech sector with many emerging companies employing Info Tech professionals and Engineers, involved with Research and Development of new technologies with both military and medical applications.
Fujioka, L., & Hom, S., & Wilkins, L. (2007, June), Isishawaii: The Power Of One Plus One For Bringing Girls And Young Women Into The Science And Engineering Pipeline Paper presented at 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii. 10.18260/1-2--2743
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