Women In Science & Engineering

Mission Statement

Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE), a non-profit organization, was founded in Spring 2001 to promote equal opportunity for women and girls in science and engineering and improve their scientific and career advancement. WiSE encourages the participation of all science/engineering undergraduates, graduates, researchers, faculty, and professionals in the Santa Barbara area.

2009 WiSE Diversity Award Winner

Congratulations Juliana Bernal Ostos!

Ms. Bernal Ostos, a 2nd Year PhD Student in the Materials Department, was awarded based on her outstanding achievements in outreach and mentoring activities in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. In just two years at UCSB, she has already made a marked impact towards promoting STEM diversity, locally on campus, in the greater Santa Barbara community, and nationally, influencing students at other institutions. In addition to participating and volunteering within the many outreach/mentoring activities facilitated by UCSB’s CNSI or MRL (such as “Family Ultimate Science Exploration” and “It’s a Materials World”), Ms. Bernal Ostos is also deeply involved with mentoring high school and under-graduate students throughout the school year. Most notably, Ms. Bernal Ostos showed inspirational dedication in mentoring the robotics team at Dos Pueblos High School, including leading an all-girl team in the design and manufacturing of two of the robot's components. The team went undefeated in the Sacramento Regionals and won “Best Quality Robot” at the World Championships in Atlanta, and Ms. Bernal Ostos was with them every step of the way.

Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE), is a campus organization dedicated to promoting equal opportunity for women and girls in science and engineering and to improve their scientific and career advancement. WiSE established the Diversity award to recognize graduate students who have taken the initiative to promote and support diversity at any level of education in the STEM fields.

Call for Involvement

If you are looking to become a more active member of WiSE, we are currently recruiting for

a new treasurer: duties include keeping track of open accounts and reimbursements.
a new coffee hour coordinator: duties include contacting potential guests, arranging for snacks

If you are interested, or would like more information, please contact us at wise [at] lsmail.ucsb.edu