During a recent weekend in January, Knight Campus Graduate Internship Program staff, alumni, and students traveled to the three sites hosting the Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP) - UC Merced, UC Santa Cruz, and University of Washington.
CUWiP, a program of APS Physics, is a series of three-day conferences held simultaneously at 15 regional host locations. The goal of CUWiP is “to create a welcoming environment for all, including undergraduate women and gender minorities” (APS Advancing Physics). The goals align with the Knight Campus Graduate Internship Program’s Inclusion Initiative, meant to increase representation of women, other gender minorities and historically excluded groups in STEM. As a means of fulfilling this mission, KCGIP staff, alumni and students provided mentorship and industry knowledge to CUWiP attendees through workshops and leadership on panels, and additionally through one-on-one interactions with those seeking to advance their careers in Physics. KCGIP was also a sponsor of the UC Merced CUWiP.
At the University of Washington, Dr. Stacey York and KCGIP optics alumni, Sonia del Casal, Chaunee McKay, Alycia Stuart, and Julia Thorpe participated in the Advancing Career Opportunities with a Strong Resume Workshop. This workshop was designed to strengthen attendee resumes and provide helpful feedback. Attendees were provided access to a recording of the seminar so that they could revisit the workshop after the conference.
Julia Thorpe, 2021 alumna of the Optics track, also participated in the Non-Physics Graduate School Options Panel where she shared her experiences about the KCGIP and transitioning into her current industrial role at Lockheed Martin Corporation.
Multiple KCGIP alumnae represented their employers during the CUWIP career fairs across sites, which was attended by all 400+ attendees. Corporations repped by alumni included Lockheed Martin Corporation, MKS Instruments, Northrop Grumman, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
At UC Merced, current student and APS Career Mentor Kat Kaylegian-Starkey co-presented the Get the Most Out of Mentoring Workshop with Midhat Farooq, APS Physics Senior Careers Program Manager. Kat was also a panelist on the Non-Academic Careers Panel, alongside KCGIP optics alumnus, Maddie Boe, and Betsy Tanenbaum. The panelists shared insight, advice and personal stories on what it’s like to work outside of academia and how the KCGIP supported their path to a career.
In reflecting on her experience in the program, Kat noted:
“. . . the KCGIP faculty provided constant and outspoken support for me as I faced academic and professional hurdles. Their support helped me realize that I have accomplished amazing feats on my academic journey which I should celebrate and not be afraid to leverage, and it helped me realize my self-worth as a scientist. I am a better scientist, advocate, and human because of this program.”
Betsy also co-led the How to Write a CV or Resume Workshop and was the chair of the Mental Health & Work-Life Balance Panel, workshops she frequently supports or facilitates as part of professional development the KCGIP.
Reflecting on the conference, Stacey York noted that “In just five short years the KCGIP has gone from approximately 20 to 40% women physicists in the program. The outreach of our amazing alumnae, the staff’s commitment to valuing diversity and promoting inclusion, and the persistence and grit demonstrated by CUWiP attendees has expanded the community of people who see themselves as physicists!”
Alumni and KCGIP attendees by conference site:
University of Washington
Sonia del Casal, MS Applied Physics (2021)
Optomechanical Engineer at MKS Instruments
Advancing Career Opportunities with a Strong Resume Workshop
Career Fair
Chaunee McKay, MS Applied Physics (2013)
Hardware Engineer at Microsoft
Advancing Career Opportunities with a Strong Resume Workshop
Career Fair
Julia Raible, MS Applied Physics (2022)
Optical Engineer at Lockheed Martin
Career Fair
Alycia Stuart, MS Applied Physics (2016)
Laser and Optical Engineer at MKS Instruments
Advancing Career Opportunities with a Strong Resume Workshop
Career Fair
Elisabeth Tappert, MS Applied Physics (2022)
Systems Design Engineer at Thermo Fisher Scientific
Advancing Career Opportunities with a Strong Resume Workshop
Career Fair
Julia Thorpe, MS Applied Physics (2022)
Sr. Technical Specialist at Lockheed Martin Corporation
Advancing Career Opportunities with a Strong Resume Workshop
Career Fair
Non-Physics Graduate School Options
Stacey York, PhD
KCGIP Sr. Director of Professional Development and Workforce Readiness Career
Advancing Career Opportunities with a Strong Resume Workshop
Career Fair
University of California, Merced
Maddie Boe, MS Applied Physics (2021)
Opto-Mechanical Engineer at MKS Instruments
Physics Opportunities Fair
Non-Physics Graduate School Options
Allison Fujinaga
KCGIP Student Recruiter & Advisor
Physics Opportunities Fair
Kat Kaylegian-Starkey, MS Applied Physics (Anticipated Sept 2023)
Sr. Intern at Thermo Fisher Scientific
Get the Most Out of Mentoring Workshop
Non-Academic Careers Panel
Betsy Tanenbaum
KCGIP Sr. Manager for Alumni & Corporate Engagement
Mental Health & Work-Life Balance Panel
How to Write a CV or Resume
Non-Academic Careers Panel
Physics Opportunities Fair
Jenni Van Wyk
Student Recruiter & Advisor, Knight Campus Bioengineering Program
Physics Opportunities Fair
University of California, Santa Cruz
Carly Wright, MS Applied Physics (2016)
Sr. Principal Optical Engineer at Northrop Grumman
Career & Research Expo
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