Events & Conferences
Drexel’s Women in Physics Society (WiPS) strives to hold an official event every two to three weeks during academic terms. We organize a variety of events including social events, professional events, invited speakers, and outreach events. Our events are the main way WiPS works toward creating a supportive community.
Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP)
Every year in January, we look forward to attending the Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP), a three-day conference geared toward enlightening and empowering undergraduate women in physics and engineering. We have attended in 2011 (MIT), 2012 (Yale), 2013 (Cornell), 2014 ( University of Maryland and the NIST) and 2015 (Rutgers University). The graduate student and career panels are great ways to learn about options after graduating from Drexel. CUWiP is also a perfect opportunity to present research and meet other women in your field. We are looking forward to attending the 2016 CUWiP!
CUWiP is sponsored by the American Physical Society (APS). All regional conferences are held concurrently in mid-January. Women from all over the country gather at various university campuses to experience a professional conference atmosphere and have the opportunity to present their own research during designated talk and poster sessions.
This conference is a particularly good opportunity for undergraduate women. We have had the opportunity to learn about the latest research from faculty from a number of prestigious universities and labs, as well as attend discussions about graduate school, careers in physics, and navigating the sometimes-difficult road of being a woman in physics. CUWiP strongly encourages attendees to network with one another and provides ample time to do this during meals and liquid nitrogen ice cream socials. The hosting university also provides tours of their labs and other facilities.
CUWiP is essentially free, and we certainly encourage WiPS members to attend. Registration requires a $50 deposit (which is returned upon arrival at the conference) and includes all meals and hotel accommodations. Travel is not included, but it is usually funded through various grants WiPS obtains from the Drexel University Office of Undergraduate Research and Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee (SAFAC).
Social Events
We hold variety of social events to get to know each other. We have our tie-dye party at the beginning of the fall term as a welcome event for our new members. We also hold movie nights, restaurant trips and other social events throughout the year.
Study Groups
Since the majority of our class is men, we end up working on schoolwork with men. Sometimes women feel more comfortable asking questions when mentors or homework partners are also female. Women, more so than men, may doubt themselves in the classroom. Hearing other women talk about their feelings is a good way for us to learn that we’re not alone. Of course, one may participate in study groups that have both men and women, but this provides an option that does not currently exist.
Outreach
Since the Drexel Chapter of the Society of Physics Students is a well-established organization that already does many outreach events with the local community, we work closely with them, both helping to organize and attend their events. Through this partnership, we have been able to hold events at all-girls schools. We hope to serve as role models to these students and encourage their interest in science.
Career Development / Mentoring
We regularly hold events that include our women graduate students and faculty. We also hold breakfast events with guest speaker of the colloquium. Hearing about their experiences is incredibly valuable.
Fundraising
We go out and volunteer at least once a year to raise funds. These funds are used for travel expenses or holding other events.