LISA DION INSPIRES LEARNING AND GIRLS WHO CODE BY GEEDA SEARFO ORCE
The dedicated educator won the Athena Award for her service and hard work. Computer Science Lecturer Lisa Dion has been inspiring the entire CEMS community through her work for years, and has been recognized by the Central Vermont Chamber as the winnner of the Senior Leadership ATHENA Award. Lisa earned a master’s degree in computer science and served as a graduate student lecturer at the University of Michigan before joining the University of Vermont. Her areas of expertise include C++, Python, Java and Git. She participated in research at Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs and at General Dynamics Electric Boat. She also serves as an instructor for Girls Who Code.
Girls Who Code
Participants in Girls Who Code deepen their computer science skills and connect with peers and role models like Lisa Dion. Photo: Courtesy of Lisa Dion
Girls Who Code is an organization on a mission to close the gender gap in technology and to change the image of what a programmer looks likes and does. It engages with femaleidenitfying students and: • Offers learning opportunities for students and aliumni to deepen their computer science skills as well as their confidence • Creates clear pathways for Girls Who Code alumni from middle and high school into the computing workforce
• Builds a supportive sisterhood of peers and role models who help students and alumni persist and succeed
Girls Who Code received funding from the Vermont Space Grant Consortium that allowed the club to purchase Arduino kits for participants. The club hosted the Girl Scouts during Engineering Week as part of the Aiken Scout Day of February 15 and helped the Girl Scouts earn Technology Badges.
KRISTEN UNDERWOOD RECEIVES RICHARD W. CARBIN COMMUNITY CONSERVATION AWARD Kristen Underwood is the recipient of the Richard W. Carbin Community Conservation Award. Named after the land trust’s founder, this award recognizes those who demonstrate a commitment to conservation in their communities. Kristen Underwood
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Underwood has worked for years to further conservation in the Bristol, Vermont area. She was instrumental in the local fundraising campaign that led to the conservation of 600 acres of farm and forest land in Bristol. She
has also been a member of the Bristol Conservation Commission. A Fellow at the University of Vermont’s Gund Institute for Environment, Underwood is a highly respected expert on water movement. “She has also devoted her career to improving water quality throughout the state,” said Vermoint Land Trust’s Al Karntaz. She has worked with many agencies and organizations to increase flood resiliency across Vermont.
