Science is for girls, too

In elementary school, girls' and boys' interest in science is just about equal.

But as girls grow older, many shy away from the field, studies show.

Sally Ride, best known as the first female astronaut in space, is working to change all that.

"For whatever reason, I didn't succumb to the stereotype that science wasn't for girls," Ride said in an interview with USA TODAY. "I got encouragement from my parents. I never ran into a teacher or a counselor who told me that science was for boys."

Ride's company, Sally Ride Science, offers a variety of programs aimed at keeping girls interested in science and math, and encouraging them to make those fields part of their career goals.

Next month, one of the company's hallmark programs will come to George Mason University. The Fairfax college will host the Sally Ride Science Festival May 7.

The program is for girls in grades 5 through 8, as well as their parents and teachers.

Francis French, director of events for Sally Ride Science, said this week that the festivals are a vital part of the company's mission.

"The festivals combat a number of stereotypes," he said. "We show that science is fun, hands on. Within 10 seconds of walking in, a number of misconceptions are destroyed. It's like an open-air rock concert with an astronaut speaking instead of a musician.

"We eliminate the stereotype of the gray-haired man in the white coat in a laboratory on his own."

The festival includes a street fair with science experiments, food and music.

v Discovery Workshops will be given by local women in a variety of scientific fields, from veterinarians and astronomers to microbiologists and engineers.

The local component is important, French said.

"Local people and companies ensure we help establish links that can continue," he said. "Lots of connections can be made."

For parents and teachers, workshops will focus on ways to support girls' interests in science and math.

The keynote speaker for the Fairfax festival is former astronaut Kathryn Thornton.

Thornton now serves on the faculty at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Before that, she spent 12 years as a NASA astronaut, and flew four space missions. She spent more than 975 hours in space and more than 21 hours space walking--earning the women's record for both the number and length of space walks.

French said the festival could be a life-changing experience for girls.

"This is a vital age to keep a girl's interest in science going," he said. "If a girl walks in and sees 1,000 other girls just like her, that feeling that 'I'm the only one secretly interested in science' is blown out the window.

"And even if that girl doesn't go on to be a scientist, she may be the one who encourages a friend to do it."

To reach LAURA HUTCHISON:540/374-5485 Email: lhutchison@freelancestar.com