Greetings from the President

The Year 2000 is a year for celebration and reflection. The Association for Women in Science will require a new vision if we want to successfully address the myriad issues facing women within and outside our university community. I believe we are prepared to meet the challenges for the following reasons:

• We have a talented, vibrant AWIS membership in West Virginia;
• We have a dedicated and experienced Executive Board who can guide us in taking the next steps to the future;
• We have vast network of local help from the WVU Center for Women's Studies, American Association of University Women, and WVU Alliance for Women's Studies;
• We have in place a collection of programs and projects that distinguish us as a group.

With this in mind, as we advance to a new order, remember that we still need to exchange ideas in a constructive and focused manner. I know that you are all being asked to assume more and more individual, professional and community responsibility. It is my hope, however, that you continue to be engaged in our State Chapter of AWIS so that we together can ensure the full participation of women in science, math and engineering.

As your new president, I need to recognize the talents of our past executives and welcome the new faces. Your former AWIS President, Dale Birkle, should be commended for her significant and sustained contributions to our State Chapter and for charting our challenges toward the future. We are all very excited to hear about Dale's sabbatical experience when she returns in March. Erica Harvey from Fairmont State College is our new President-Elect and I look forward to working with Erica in all our new projects. She has already started organizing chapter business and is planning to make our relation-ship with National AWIS her first priority for the year. Many thanks should also be extended to Joyce McCune-Gentry and Jeanne Sullivan for their efforts as Secretary and Treasurer for our chapter. Helen Lang from WVU and Judith Westerik from WV School of Osteopathic Medicine have graciously agreed to serve as Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.

This is a very good time to be a part of AWIS-WV. Our agenda for this year is filled with a number of exciting things. We are putting the finishing touches on our WEBSITE http://consult.hsc.wvu.edu/awis which will bring all of you up-to-date on our activities and allow us to become a resource for women and girls across the State. We plan to make our presence known this year by hosting several Expand Your Horizons conferences in Morgantown, Williamson and Parkersburg. Consult the website for dates and details of these events. Remember your involvement in Chapter activities is essential for our group to remain viable. Please be generous with your time and agree to mentor a young girl if you are called to participate in one of these conferences. If you haven't had the opportunity, this is your moment.

As our work begins, the outlook is positive as women advance in academia, industry and government. We in AWIS-WV are helping to create a workforce of women who will face less uncertainty in the future and experience greater professional rewards from careers in science, math, engineering and computer technology.

Linda Vona-Davis

Visit the New AWIS-WV Website Regularly!

The AWIS-WV Website has been moved from Marshall to WVU and has been completely revised. The new Website has been reconstructed by Alex Yohn of WV Consult and is being maintained as an outreach service of the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at WVU. To keep up-to-date on Chapter Activities, visit the Website regularly at http://consult.hsc.wvu.edu/awis

Join the AWIS-WV E-mail List!

The AWIS-WV chapter has an electronic mailing list. To subscribe to the list:

1. Create an e-mail to listserv@listserv.wvu.edu
2. Leave the subject line blank
3. In the message area type SUBSCRIBE AWIS-WV yourfirstname yourlastname
4. Send the e-mail
5. You will receive a confirmation from the list server that will contain more information about using the list.

To send a message to the list, send it to AWIS-WV@wvnwm.wvnet.edu. This message will go out to all current subscribers.

Chapter Meeting was Held on January 5, 2000 at WVU in Morgantown

The first AWIS-WV chapter meeting of the new millennium was held at WVU in Morgantown on January 5, 2000. The meeting was attended by 11 members and friends from all over the State. Thanks to those who drove a long ways to get here! We discussed the exciting plans for the coming year, and new officers began to learn the ropes. Minutes of the meeting will soon be linked to the Website if you want to know more.

EYH AVIATION DAY - Morgantown, April 29, 2000

Linda Vona-Davis and Paul DeVore, president of the Hart Field (Morgantown Airport) Coalition, have planned an EYH event with an aviation theme at the Airport and have gotten financial support (WVU Public Service Grant + donations) for this event. Thanks Linda and Paul! The event will take place in the WVU Hangar at Hart Field. WV-AWIS needs to provide publicity, registration, workshop presenters (about 12), and logistical support. Enrollment will be strictly limited to 200 eighth grade girls from Monongalia, Marion and Preston Counties.

See the Internet Resource Aviation Resource Section for additional links.

EYH AVIATION DAY - Williamson, May 6, 2000

Dee Kapourales will do local organization, publicity and logistics. All the State Chapter has to do is provide presenters. Betsy Walker will take charge of arranging presenters. Kathy Fletcher, Betsy Walker, Linda Vona-Davis, Beth Adams, Erica Harvey, Dale Birkle, and Penny Klink will be presenters.

See the Internet Resource Aviation Resource Section for additional links.

1999-2000 AWIS-WV CHAPTER OFFICERS

The time has come for new hands, hearts and minds to take over the Chapter. Because each candidate was running unopposed, it was not necessary to hold an election.

Linda Vona-Davis, who has served as President-Elect for the past two years will be assuming the Presidency. Helen Lang and Judith Westerik have volunteered to serve as Secretary and Treasurer, respectively. Erica Harvey has agreed to serve as President-Elect, and will take over as President in 2001. Dale Birkle will now become Past President. The contact information for each of the new officers appears at the end of this newsletter.

Linda Vona-Davis, President
Surgery
P.O. Box 9238
HSC WV University
Morgantown, WV 26506-9238
W (304) 293-1280 H (304) 291-3232
dvona@wvu.edu

Erica Harvey, President-Elect
RR2 Box 152
Fairmont, WV 26554
(304) 367-4498(w) (304)367-9636(h)
elh@fscvax.fairmont.wvnet.edu

Judith Westerik, Treasurer
WVSOM
400 N. Lee St
Lewisburg, WV, 24901
645-6427(w) 647-4257 (h) 645-4859(f)
jwesterik@wvsom.edu

Helen Lang, Secretary
P.O. BOX 6300
WV University
Morgantown, WV 26506-6300
293-5603, ext 4312
hlang@wvu.edu