WISE's History

Concurrent with other grassroots organizations growing in the 1970s, a national organization to connect Canadian women scientists and engineers was founded in 1977 by Claudette Mackay-Lassonde. With the WISE national headquarters in Toronto, ON, local chapters formed in Toronto, Ottawa, Sarnia, Kingston, Montreal, Newfoundland, and New Brunswick during the following decade. Women from the United States, Europe and Africa also joined WISE.

WISE Ottawa Chapter

The WISE Ottawa Chapter offers a program of monthly meetings with a variety of interesting speakers. Topics range from technical to general interest and feature the experiences of women in various occupations and fields of science and technology. We also have two dinner meetings annually, one of which is our Annual General Meeting. These events provide an excellent opportunity for getting to know one another, brainstorming on issues relevant to WISE, networking, and as always ... enjoying one another's company! Many of our members volunteer their time to make career presentations at local schools, act as judges at science fairs or offer "job shadowing" opportunities for young women who wish to find out more about a particular field of work. Our quarterly newsletter describes upcoming WISE activities, announcements, job postings, meetings, etc.

WISE Ottawa Executive Members 2008-2009

President: Dr. Banu Örmeci

Vice-President: Dr. Handan Tezel

Vice-President/Treasurer: Teresa McNutt

Membership: Nihan Kavaslar

Program Coordinator: Dr. Diana Inkpen, Soheila Bashardoust

Web Site Coordinator: Natalia Villanueva Rosales

Carleton Univ Rep: Tarah MacPherson

Univ of Ottawa Rep: Somaieh Salehpour

Communications/Newsletter/Publicity: Jill Laurent Hass and Lancy Yang

Join the WISE Ottawa Executive! Elections take place each spring at our Annual General Meeting (usually in May or June). It's a great way to get involved in WISE Ottawa! The time commitment is flexible and the rewards are limitless!

Roles:

President:

• Represent and promote the chapter
• Set objectives for the year with the other executive members
• Organize and chair executive meetings
• Liaise with other organizations and other WISE chapters
• Provide leadership to the chapter
• Exercise signing authority with the Treasurer on all chapter documents

• Maintain up-to-date financial records
• Exercise signing authority with the President on all chapter documents

Membership:

• Maintain up-to-date membership records
• Receive applications/renewal membership information and respond to applications

• Organize chapter events (4 to 6 per year)
• Includes contacting speaker, setting up the facilities, providing input to the newsletter. Note that the entire executive assist in finding contacts

• Prepare and distribute newsletter (research articles, request items from members)
• Act as prime contact for any public relations requirements
• Search out opportunities to provide relations for the chapter

• Maintain website, updating/eliminating links and information
• Internet provider liaison
• "wise.ottawa" yahoo group moderator

• Provides leadership to the Executive of the student branch at the University of Ottawa
• Act as liaison between the student branch and the Ottawa chapter

• Provides leadership to the Executive of the student branch at Carleton University
• Act as liaison between the student branch and the Ottawa chapter