REACH Magazine, Winter 2020: A Seattle University College of Science and Engineering publication

YOUNG WOMEN PURSUE CAREERS IN STEM

Machine learning and leadership, driverless cars and inclusivity. This fall’s Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, the world’s largest gathering of women technologists, had something for everyone, including the 45 Seattle University students who attended.

Computer science graduate student Tong (Debby) Ding, ’21, who participated in the conference for a second time this year, appreciated the Decoding Bias session.

“Bias may be unconscious, but the resulting tech products still do reflect the people who build them,” says Ding, noting the limits of facial recognition software in identifying faces with darker skin tones. “It matters who builds tech products.”

Ding, who decided to become a software engineer in her late 20s, says her educational road hasn’t been easy.

“The decision led to a massive fight with my family; they felt programming is hard work, not suitable for women,” she says. “When I was at the conference this year, I was ready to share my story and encourage other women to chase their dreams.”

Sheila Oh, director of the university’s computer science fundamentals certificate program and faculty advisor for the Women in Technology Club, helps organize conference attendance and scholarships for students in the computer science and electrical and computer engineering departments. Student attendance is, in part, underwritten by generous donors who have given to the STEM Diversity Fund and the Dean’s Fund.

“With over 200 sessions, an open-source day, networking sessions, amazing keynotes by Serena Williams and Megan Rapinoe, and over 33,000 attendees, the event offered great opportunities to learn and be inspired,” says Oh. “Afterwards, students support and share knowledge with fellow underrepresented minority students in the SU community and educate potential allies to help bridge the gender gap and achieve pay parity.”

Isabel Ovalles, ’23, is a gamer who realized in high school that she wanted to pursue computer science. This was her first year at the conference and she attended virtual sessions on workplace bullies, internships and technical whiteboard interviews.

“I found myself meeting a lot of recruiters and starting connections,” says Ovalles. “As a young woman in tech, attending such a vast conference, I feel more confident as I navigate my early career.”

There are still barriers for women in tech. But master’s degree candidate Fang (Jenny) Yuan, ’21, has some advice for the women who face those barriers.

Fang Yuan, ‘21 Tong Ding, ‘21

In early September 2020, when Seattle University President Stephen V. Sundborg, S.J., welcomed the university community to a new academic year, he spoke about the Ignatian paradigm of context.

“Our commitments always start with context… and what is our context as we start this year?” he asked. The first topic on his list was the deep moral challenge posed by racial inequity.

Natasha Martin, JD, vice president for diversity and inclusion, joined Sundborg to introduce listeners to the ideals of LIFT SU, Seattle University’s Inclusive Excellence Action Plan for Racial Equity and Antiracism 2020–2021. These ideals include: Listen and learn; Impact through intentional action; Fail forward; and Transform together.

Martin, who wrote an accompanying piece for the fall issue of Seattle University Magazine, explains the university’s commitment to a way forward.

“We must create a culture of accountability through building our capacity to embed and infuse diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the institution—from admissions to alumni engagement and everything that exists in-between,” she says.

THE WORLD AS OUR LABORATORY

Geologist Lyn Gualtieri, PhD, sits cross-legged on her paddleboard on Lake Washington. She’s holding a black-and-white disc and demonstrating its use—the measurement of water turbidity—to the camera held by her 12-year-old son. They’re recording the video for homebound students taking a class called Field Methods for Environmental Science.

“When the university first told us everything had to go online because of COVID-19, Se-Yeun Lee (a faculty colleague) and I thought, ‘We can’t,’” says Gualtieri, a senior instructor in environmental science. “Then we really started to think about how we could do it, and how we could do it better, and what new experiences we could bring the students.”

Lee filmed herself calibrating equipment to measure pH and temperature. In addition to venturing out on her paddleboard, Gualtieri dug a hole in her backyard so students could learn to describe layers of soil.

Jack Jaworski, ’22, a junior minoring in environmental science, took Field Methods. Many of the sessions followed an interactive pattern that paired online learning with live experience.

“They adapted the curriculum really well,” says Jaworski. “They had us use our neighborhoods, wherever we were, as our laboratories. Then we’d come back in and discuss what we’d found. ”

In one example, he and his classmates were told to find a tree and estimate its height. Jaworski, a mechanical engineering major, used his tree’s shadow to make some calculations. Later, after a presentation from the teachers, the students went out again to try the process themselves. Jaworski enjoyed it and he was impressed with the wealth of web-based information that accompanied the class.

“Since we were all learning online, all the handouts, the record of the lectures, all of it was accessible,” says Jaworski. Gualtieri notes that online learning sometimes offers a more expansive view than the one afforded by real life. We started to think about…what new experiences we could “ bring the students. —LYN GUALTIERI, PhD

“This class usually visits a stream and students collect bugs, and what you learn by looking at the bugs under a microscope tells you about the health of the stream,” says Gualtieri. The students never collect many insects, so switching to an online macroinvertebrate collection lab this year had significant benefits.

“Those were the perfect conditions,” Gualtieri says. “They could work with a large data set and do statistical analyses.”

Nature—whether you’re considering insects or pandemics—is somewhat unpredictable. Consider the turbidity demonstration on the paddleboard: Although she thought the water was calm enough to perform the test, Gualtieri had to move back to the dock to complete the lesson.

AT THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

In June 2021, with the help of investments from alumni, friends, corporations, foundations, and other generous contributors, Seattle University will complete the largest capital project in its history—the Center for Science and Innovation. We thought you might enjoy an inside look at our progress.

Clockwise, from top: Construction workers install glazing; looking up the grand staircase into the south light well; Fr. Stephen Sundborg, S.J., president of Seattle University, tours the construction site; workers install ceiling fixtures in one of the new classrooms.

WELCOMING A NEW ERA IN EDUCATION

With the multimillion-dollar renovation of the Bannan Buildings and the creation of the new Center for Science and Innovation, the College of Science and Engineering is dedicating significantly more high-tech space to teaching, learning and collaboration. Our goal? To train the next generation of STEM professionals and to bring together an entire campus to learn and explore. Learn more at seattleu.edu/science-innovation.