STEMinists in Training Institute ONLINE
Summer 2021 Programs Have Ended!
Congratulations and Thank You to all students who completed our Young Womens Writers Institute, Steminists in Training Institute and Young Women's Leadership Program.
Stay connected by checking back for information on our upcoming Academic Year and Summer 2022 Programs.
We look forward to seeing you all soon!
The Program
Designed for fearless and inquisitive young women, SITI is perfect for students looking to develop their STEM skills in both lecture and laboratory settings. No matter where you are in the world, you will be able to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in motion through virtual field trips and projects. In addition to your coursework, this program begins to address some of the inequalities that women face in the STEM field and how we can begin to rewrite the narrative with our presence.
Program Dates: Monday, June 28- Friday, July 16, 2021
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Virtual Orientation: Thursday, June 24, 2021
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First Day of Classes- Monday, June 28, 2021
Tuition and Fees- $3,125
Program Structure
This institute is completely virtual. Classes are delivered synchronously at a mutually beneficial time for our students on both the east and west coast. We understand this will be a strain for some of our international students and will work with on ways to make the most of your class schedule. Classes take place on Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday midday from either 10:30 AM- 12:00 PM or 11:30-1:00 PM EST (please refer to your individual class) and Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:30- 4:00 PM EST. Enrichment and student life activities will be held in both the early day and evening time frames (10am EST- 8pm EST)
Learn more about how we are bringing STEM to you this summer.
The Curriculum
Accessibility in the World and on the Web
Sarah Morrison-Smith
Introduction to access technology and the development of accessible systems. In this course, students discover and utilize various access technologies. Topics include: screen readers, alternative input, tactile displays, technology for mental health, and web access. This course introduces students to today’s user interface technology and serves as a guide for building the user interfaces of the future.
Appropriate for Grade Levels: 10, 11
Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday 11:30 AM- 1:00 PM EST
Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:30- 4:00 PM EST.
Chemical Connections and Happening
Christian Rojas
Transferring electrons. Making and breaking chemical bonds. These are among the atomic- and molecular-scale happenings that we will explore in this course, combining discussions of chemical principles with virtual laboratory experiments and field trips.
Appropriate for Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11
Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday 10:30 AM- 12:00 PM EST
Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:30- 4:00 PM EST.
Environmental Data Collection and Analysis: A Global Approach
Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
This course examines the basic principles of environmental science using current environmental news as case studies so that students learn the science behind the most recent and urgent environmental issues. Topics range from climate change, biodiversity, ecosystems, water resources, pollution and energy to sustainability. Readings from the scientific literature, various newspaper articles and magazines are carefully coordinated with the topics. The lab component features studies of students' local natural resources such as wetlands, rivers, streams, ecosystems, geology and biodiversity. In addition, datasets are distributed so we can crunch the numbers and see how much carbon is stored in the campus trees and how clean the Hudson River is. Students without access to their local natural resources will be given datasets to use. Course participants will build skills in data collection and analysis and presentation of results as well as field survey techniques and a firm understanding of the interconnectedness of topics in environmental science.
Appropriate for Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11
Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday 10:30 AM- 12:00 PM EST
Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:30- 4:00 PM EST.
The Elegance of Physics
Frederic Stark
Physics is all around you. Gravity holds your feet to the ground, guides the planets in their orbits, and gives the universe its shape. The vibrations we call "light" and "sound" illuminate and beautify our world. Electricity and magnetism make modern life possible. And without general relativity, the GPS app on your phone would be useless. Yet the word “physics” often conjures false images of nothing but mind-numbing equations and incomprehensible gobbledygook. In this course, we will explore the fundamental principles and theories that have given us the ability to comprehend the universe in which we live. For those planning future studies in mathematically formalized physics, this course will serve to whet the appetite and provide a strong foundation. For others anticipating different academic pathways, this course will offer a glimpse into a fascinating world that all too often seems impenetrable. For everyone, the course will bring physics to life, and, at the very least, explain all the obscure references on The Big Bang Theory!
Appropriate for Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11
Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday 10:30 AM- 12:00 PM EST
Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:30- 4:00 PM EST.
Science of Hormones
Kara Pham
In The Science of Hormones, we’ll start off with an introduction to the endocrine system, the elaborate collection of organs that make hormones, and the chemical properties of hormones. We will then examine how hormones influence five biological and behavioral processes: sex development, reproductive behavior, appetite regulation, biological rhythms, and stress. Finally, we’ll discuss how our environments can interfere with hormonal function.
Appropriate for Grade Levels: 10, 11
Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday 11:30 AM- 1:00 PM EST
Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:30- 4:00 PM EST.
Abnormal Psychology
Michael Wheaton
The class will attempt to facilitate a complex understanding of mental illnesses by exposing students to the real life experiences of individuals with these conditions. The course will begin with a critical examination of the concept of mental illness from a historical perspective. The major paradigms for conceptualizing mental illnesses will be explored for what they may contribute to our understanding of mental illness. The rest of the course is designed to provide an introduction to a wide variety of psychological disorders and related theoretical concepts. The information reviewed will include diagnostic criteria, theories of etiology, treatment paradigms, sociological relevance, and current controversies associated with the area of psychopathology. The course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to critically apply information learned in class to case studies by entertaining hypotheses for diagnosis and treatment.
Appropriate for Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11
Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday 10:30 AM- 12:00 PM EST
Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:30- 4:00 PM EST.
Forensic Psychology
Joshua Feinberg
This course is an examination of the interaction between fields of psychology, law, and the criminal justice system. It examines the aspects of human behavior directly related to the legal process such as eyewitness memory and testimony, jury decision making, and theories of criminal behavior. There is a strong focus on the ethical and moral tensions that inform the law.
Appropriate for Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11
Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday 10:30 AM- 12:00 PM EST
Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:30- 4:00 PM EST.
Psychology 101
Jamie Krenn
Course Description: Psychology can be defined as the scientific study of mental processes and behavior. While psychology is most often associated with clinical issues (i.e. abnormal, personality), this makes up only a small portion of the field. This is a broad survey course covering topics such as physiological, social, organizational, and developmental psychology. The course will develop one’s understanding of seeing psychology as a science of human thought and behavior. Topics covered will be a helpful tool for most university introductory psychology courses.
Objectives: Students participating in the course will develop a deeper understanding of the scope of psychology as a field of inquiry, and the theories and empirical studies that constitute the field. Students will also develop an understanding of the historical development of key concepts and ideas present in psychology.
Appropriate for Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11
Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday 10:30 AM- 12:00 PM EST
Tues and Thurs afternoons from 2:30- 4:00 PM EST.
The Instructors
Joshua Feinberg
Forensic Psychology
Joshua Feinberg received his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Rutgers University. He is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Saint Peter's University and has also taught several courses at both Barnard College and Columbia University. Previous courses he has taught include: forensic psychology, social psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, statistics, sports psychology, and research methods. He currently conducts research on how social factors affect moral decision making. He has previously published studies focusing on both applied and theoretical topics such as social facilitation, sports psychology, academic cheating, and implicit stereotyping.
Jamie Krenn
Psychology 101
Jamie L. Krenn holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology: Cognitive Studies from Teachers College, Columbia University. She also holds three masters degrees in developmental and cognitive psychologies as well as a Bachelor of Science in Art Therapy. She is a Curriculum Consultant for Nomster Chef cooking education project that hopes raise a healthier generation of kids and a happier generation of parents by teaching kids to cook through media. She currently oversees a masters program at Teachers College, Columbia University entitled “Children’s Media: Analysis & Evaluation.” Dr. Krenn is also an expert and author of Screen Time: Media and the Developing Mind housed within Psychology Today Magazine's website. You can find her latest articles here. In the past, Dr. Krenn has been a Research Assistant for the Little Einstein Series, which appeared on the Disney Playhouse as well a Curriculum Consultant for Maker Studios, which produces the popular YouTube.com program Wonder Quest and I Wonder the educational supplement to Stampy Cat’s program based on the Minecraft video game. Her research interest includes the socio-emotional effects of media, children’s educational television, and culinary cognition.
Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Environmental Data Collection and Analysis: A Global Approach
Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science and Teaching Lab Director and has been a part of the faculty of Barnard College since 2006. Prior to joining Barnard, Dr. Maenza-Gmelch was a member of the faculty at New York University in the departments of Biology and Teaching and Learning. She is also an educator at the Black Rock Forest Consortium where she has developed and taught summer field programs for students from middle school to graduate school. Her research and teaching interests include paleoecology, effects of climate and land-use change on bird populations, soundscape ecology and field and digital curriculum development. Her PhD is from New York University.
Sarah Morrison- Smith
Accessibility in the World and on the Web
Sarah Morrison-Smith is a teaching and research fellow at Barnard College with a focus on Human-Centered Computing. She received her Ph.D. in August 2019 at the University of Florida with Dr. Jaime Ruiz as her adviser. Before joining UF, she graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science from Montana State University in 2013, followed by an M.S. in Computer Science at Colorado State University in 2015. Her current research interests include usable security, harnessing technology to support e-science research, and exploring gestural interaction as an input modality for mobile devices and wearables.
Kara Pham
Science of Hormones
Professor Kara Pham is a Senior Lecturer in the Neuroscience and Behavior Department and the Psychology Department. Her general area of research is in behavioral neuroscience, with an emphasis on stress and brain plasticity. She has taught courses on behavioral neuroscience, hormones and behavior, addictive behaviors, psychology of learning, and research methods.
Christian Rojas
Chemical Connections and Happenings
Christian M. Rojas, Professor of Chemistry, teaches mainly introductory- and advanced-level organic chemistry courses. He is a synthetic organic chemist who conducts research to develop new methods for incorporating nitrogen atoms into organic molecules and applies those methods to the synthesis of amino sugars. Barnard undergraduate student researchers from the Rojas research group have gone on to careers in science, teaching, and medicine, including positions in the pharmaceutical industry, academia, public-school teaching, public health, and government. In addition to publishing research articles with his students, Christian was editor of the 2016 book Molecular Rearrangements in Organic Synthesis. Christian joined the Barnard faculty in 1997 after completing a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Scripps Research Institute. He earned a PhD from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia.
Frederic Stark
The Elegance of Physics
Ric holds an MA from Stony Brook University, and a BS from the University at Albany. For the past 31 years, he has taught physics courses at GW Hewlett High School on Long Island, where he currently teaches AP Physics C and a college-level elective course on space exploration. Ric always sprinkles his physics courses with assignments so simple they are maddening, such as asking his students to figure out how to measure the height of a flagpole or the rotational inertia of a fidget spinner. He also firmly believes that because physics is a human endeavor, its greatest achievements must be taught in their proper historical context. So students in his physics courses always understand why Isaac Newton was such a revolutionary, and why shipbuilders in 1912 could believe they had created an unsinkable ocean liner.
Michael Wheaton
Abnormal Psychology
Technology and Academic Support
IMATS/ Canvas/Zoom
Barnard PCP utilizes Canvas, an online classroom, where students will find their syllabus, Zoom links to their class sessions, assignments, discussion boards, and access to message their instructor or peers.
All classes and workshops are hosted via Zoom. Our instructors have worked to create robust lessons that utilize various technology capabilities and platforms such as Zoom breakout rooms, Twine, Canva, and even apps developed by our professors!
Our team will go over technology usage and etiquette extensively in the student manual and during Orientation.
Course Assistant
Each course has the added support of a Course Assistant (CAs), a current Barnard student (or a recent graduate). CAs assist faculty with administrative tasks, classroom management, and facilitate office hours to help students.
Community Office Hours
Each Monday at 2:00 PM EST students are invited to meet with any member of our Pre-College Programs team. Office hours are meant to mimic the PCP’s open door office policy and give students a space to meet with instructors, course assistants, or a professional staff member.
Bridging Curriculum and Community
Community Building Programming
We believe student life does not start and end in the virtual classroom. Each night after class students can choose from 2-3 evening activities led by our Program Assistants
Program Assistants
Program Assistants are current Barnard students who manage small cohorts of student teams. Your PA is a resource for you to ask questions about non academic issues (remember: your Course Assistant is your point of contact for academics). PAs plan and facilitate nightly community building activities such as self care nights, Netflix parties, virtual scavenger hunts, and much more.