SUNY Old Westbury was pleased to host New York State Senator Anna Kaplan to kickoff it's annual "Experiences of Women in STEM" panel recently in the Student Union Multipurpose Room.
The panelists included Dr. Renu Balyan, Assistant Professor in the Mathematics, Computer & Information Science Department; Dr. Ciara Bagnall-Moreau, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The Feinstein Institute and Biological Sciences 08’ graduate; Dr. Shebuti Rayana, Assistant Professor in the Mathematics, Computer & Information Science Department and Simisola Shabi, a Biological Sciences major with a minor in Psychology and member of CSTEP.
“The conversation around the roles and opportunities for women in the fields fueled by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics has never been more compelling than in today’s society,” said President Timothy E. Sams as he started the event. “The World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2022 projects that at the current rate of progress, it will take 132 years to reach gender parity globally. This is why today’s program is so important. I urge all of you to take the opportunity before you today to grow and to learn how challenging yourself can make an immeasurable difference in your lives and in the lives of others.”
Senator Kaplan shared her story about first applying and getting into law school, then later politics, and what that meant for her personal journey and to her family. She encouraged all the students in attendance to know that they can handle whatever hurdles may be in their way, and that she was honored to have been invited to speak at an event honoring women trailblazers in various fields.