THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 3, 1994 TAG: 9412030258
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
Women often need a little extra push to give them the courage to choose science as a career, says Myra Williams of Glaxo.
She should know. She was a music major before a high school teacher encouraged her to choose physics.
Glaxo's Women in Science Scholars program gave an extra push Friday to 42 women from 20 North Carolina colleges and universities. Each student got a $1,000 scholarship and a female scientist from Glaxo to serve as a mentor.
Williams, co-coordinator of the program, recalled taking a high school chemistry class from a teacher who usually taught physics. She planned to major in music in college but felt pulled toward science. So she went back to high school and talked to the teacher about majoring in chemistry.
He suggested physics, instead.
``I wanted to do physics, but I didn't have enough courage,'' said Williams, who also is vice president and chief information officer at Glaxo.
``Sometimes women need just a little more support and encouragement,'' she said. ``And we're here to provide this little bit more support and encouragement.''
Laura Wade, 21, a junior at Meredith College in Raleigh, said she has been interested in science since she was a child. She was lucky because her parents encouraged her, she said. Her older brother and sister went into animal science and wildlife biology and served as role models for her.
But when Wade told her grandfather she was interested in being a doctor, he told her that she'd make a really good nurse.
Wade said she's interested in becoming either a doctor or a physician's assistant.
Her mentor is Mary Bennett, director of operations of the Glaxo Research Institute and the other co-coordinator for the program.
Bennett said she was a veterinary technician before she went back to school for her bachelor's and master's degrees. Her family advised her to choose a career she could leave and return to so she could raise a family in-between.
``If my brother had wanted to be a vet technician, he would have been told he couldn't make enough money to support a family,'' she said.
Williams said she had never suffered sexual discrimination but she has had sexist remarks made to her. A human relations representative at one company - not Glaxo - told her she would probably get pregnant and quit work.
``I know people who let these comments get them down and let them interrupt their ability to contribute,'' Williams said.
Women need to overcome barriers that keep them from science because it is a good field for them, she said. ``It provides women with one of the best opportunities to be judged on their contributions.''
In addition to talent and ability, women scientists must have a high energy level, especially if they have families as well, she said.
This is second year of the Women in Science Scholars program. Williams asked some of last year's participants what they had learned.
``Not all women scientists are geeky,'' one person said.
KEYWORDS: SCHOLARSHIPS WOMEN by CNB