Suffolk County Community College’s Dr. Candice Foley Invited To STEM Gender Equality Conference In Berlin

Suffolk County Community College Professor of Chemistry, Dr. Candice Foley, has been invited to attend the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Gender Equality Congress in Berlin, Germany on taking place on Thursday, June 8th and Friday, June 9th. Foley serves as Suffolk’s National Science Foundation S-STEM Chair and will be joined by policy makers, equality staff, the private sector, academic staff, government representatives, and others during the two day event, where participants will attend thought-provoking addresses, high-level panel discussions, and in-depth case studies and discussions.

Dr. Candice Foley will attend the STEM Gender Equality Congress in Berlin during June. (Photo: Victoria Pendzick)

“Because there remains a persistent gender gap in college degrees in STEM, Suffolk’s presence at this International Gender Equality Conference will highlight the success of our vast network of collaborations within our college, SUNY, statewide and nationally for connecting underrepresented female STEM students to educational opportunities that prepare them to compete for the highest quality jobs of today and the future,” explained Dr. Foley, who is also the College’s NSF S-STEM PI.

Suffolk County Community College strives to enable underrepresented women in STEM.

“It is no secret that women are underrepresented in STEM fields,” said Suffolk County Community College President, Dr. Shaun L. McKay. “In 2014, nationally, only 29 percent of the bachelor’s degrees awarded to women were in science and engineering, compared with 40 percent for men, according to the National Student Clearinghouse. Dr. Foley has been at the forefront of advancing our College’s STEM students and programs.”

STEM Central is a nationwide forum that connects STEM faculty and administrators with others to share ideas and resources, learn, and work collaboratively on initiatives.

“Improving America’s STEM education has become a top priority across the nation,” said Theresa Sanders, Suffolk County Community College Board of Trustees Chair. “At Suffolk, approximately 1,500 students are currently enrolled in STEM majors and the College’s STEM program has been producing award winning students while providing summer research internships at internationally renowned facilities, including Brookhaven National Laboratory, NASA, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory among others.”

Additionally, Suffolk Community College launched the Support for Undergraduates at Community College Engaged in STEM Studies (SUCCESS) project to expand the number of low-income, academically-talented STEM students.

For more information, visit stem-central.net.