Workshop/Session Details

Workshop Session I (noon - 1 p.m.)

A. 30+ Years Later: Where Did a STEM Education Take Me?

Heidi Welner has a B.A. in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and an M.A. in Instructional Design from Seton Hall University.  She broke with tradition early by working in the newly emerging environmental field.  She continued along an unconventional STEM career path by establishing and running an environmental education center and participating in research on grey whale migration. She currently teaches science at Columbia High School and has also worked with Steven’s Institute of Technology. Last year Welner worked with Seton Hall to submit a successful proposal to NASA for testing an experiment in zero gravity. 

B. Use of Imaging Technology in Developmental Biology Sciences 

Presenter: Angela Klaus, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
with Grad Students: Crystal Pristell, Deborah Hyland and Megan Dunham

Angela Klaus is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Seton Hall University.  Her research program focuses on molecular and cellular aspects of sperm development in fruit flies.  Fruit flies are used as model organisms to understand sperm development in mammalian species, including humans.  Her research relies upon the use of imaging technology, including confocal laser scanning microscopy and electron microscopy.  Prior to arriving at Seton Hall, Klaus worked in industry, non-profit, and governmental sectors as a technologist and biologist, including at the American Museum of Natural History, the National Science Foundation and ExxonMobil. Klaus received her Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology from Rutgers-New Brunswick.

C. Achievement of Girls in Math and Science Education

Presenters: Debra Zinicola, Associate Professor, Elementary and Early Childhood Education
Mary Mueller, Associate Professor, Elementary and Early Childhood Education

Debra Zinicola is an Associate Professor in the Early Childhood, Elementary and Special Education Program of the College of Education and Human Services.  She teaches both undergraduate and graduate education courses primarily in Child Development and Science Methods.  Zinicola received her Ed.D. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education with a concentration in Science Education from Rutgers University.  The focus of her research is how “science talk” in collaborative groups, about the causes of discrepant events, promotes the understanding of scientific concepts in middle school students.

Mary Mueller is an Associate Professor in the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education Program of the College of Education and Human Services.  She teaches both undergraduate and graduate education courses.  Mueller received her Ed.D. in Mathematics Education from Rutgers University.  The focus of her research is the development of mathematical reasoning in elementary and middle school students and the role of discourse in the mathematics classroom.  

D. Serious Games for Serious Women

Presenters: Danielle Mirliss, Associate Director, Teaching, Learning and Technology Center
Mary Zedeck, Instructional Designer, Teaching, Learning and Technology Center

Danielle Mirliss is an Associate Director at Seton Hall’s Teaching, Learning and Technology Center. She is responsible for overseeing the Instructional Design and Training team in a variety of faculty and student support initiatives. She has a broad range of experience in mobile computing, pen-based computing, course redesign, online learning, virtual worlds and assessment. Previously she was an Instructional Designer at an online division of Columbia University.  Mirliss is a candidate for the Ed.D. in Instructional Technology and Media from Columbia University. She also received her Ed.M. from the same program and her M.A. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from New York University.

Mary Zedeck is an Instructional Designer at the Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center. She is responsible for supporting faculty in the design, integration, and assessment of technology resources for courses and programs on campus, as well as online. Training is an important part of Zedeck's role at the University where she organizes and teaches workshops and programs in emerging technology. Prior to joining Seton Hall, she provided technology training and instructional design services to K-12 educators, administrators, and corporate clients. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Lafayette College and an Ed.M. in Adult and Corporate Instructional Management from Loyola University Chicago.
 

Workshop Session II (1 - 2 p.m.)

A. How the Women of STEM Balance Career Demands and Parenting

Better understand the challenges faced by women in the sciences who navigate career and family, from a diverse range of experiences.

Presenters: Theresa Bartolotta, Director of Assessment, Academic Affairs
with Stacie-Ann Creighton, Roche Pharmaceuticals; Natasha Homji, Novartis Pharmaceuticals; and Linda Staikos, Novartis

Theresa Bartolotta is Director of Assessment for Academic Affairs in the Office of the Provost and an Associate Professor of Speech-Language Pathology in the School of Health and Medical Sciences. Her research interest is in improving communication in children with severe disabilities and working with their families to enhance quality of life. The challenges of balancing work and career have long been an interest, especially the unique issues facing working mothers of children with special needs. 

Stacie-Ann Creighton is a Doctoral candidate at Seton Hall University working in the Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology (INIP). Stacie-Ann graduated with a B.S. in Microbiology from Florida Atlantic University in 1999 and received her M.S. in Microbiology from Seton Hall University in 2007. Stacie-Ann began her industry career with Roche Molecular Diagnostics in 1999 and has held various positions in Operations, Global Customer Service, and Global Quality.  She is currently responsible for Vigilance, CAPA, and Quality Audits.

Natasha Homji-Mishra is a drug development professional leading Global Oncology clinical trials at Novartis. She has also lead pediatric trails in Cardiovascular at Novartis and orthopedic clinical trials at Biomet. She obtained her doctorate degree, with a 3.9 GPA, in 2012 from the Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology lead by Dr. Sulie Chang at Seton Hall, while working full-time at Novartis. Her dissertation topic was “Endotoxin tolerance and conditioned-place-preference in HIV-1Tg rats”.  Homji has a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering from UT-Austin and a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering.

Linda Staikos-Byrne, Ph.D. is a director of clinical research at Novartis Pharmaceuticals. She received her doctoral degree at Seton Hall University in 2006 under the mentorship of Dr. Sulie Chang.  She graduated with a B.S. in Biology from Villanova University in 1997 and a M.S. in Biology with a minor in Business Administration in 2002. Staikos has been in industry for over 15 years and has held various positions within clinical research. She is currently responsible for the operations and oversight of a global lipid clinical development plan. 

B. Women in the Technology Professions: Growth and Opportunities

Presenters: Marta Deyrup, Professor and Catalog Coordinator, University Libraries 
Danielle Mirliss, Associate Director, Teaching, Learning and Technology Center

Marta Deyrup is Professor and Catalog Coordinator at Seton Hall University Libraries. For six years she served as Co-Director of the University's Elizabeth Ann Seton Center for Women's Studies. She holds a MLS from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. from the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, Columbia University. Deyrup is the author/editor of five books and numerous articles on scholarly communication,  Slavic librarianship, and digital scholarship. 

C. Girls Gone Wired: Promoting STEM Opportunities for America's Marginalized Girls

Learn more about the non-profit organizations that specifically partner female students with STEM programming.  Be inspired to connect with these organizations and to form local chapters.

Presenter: Beth Ritter-Guth, Director of Instructional Design, Union County College 

Beth Ritter-Guth is the Director of Instructional Design at Union County College in Cranford, NJ.  Her work using virtual and augmented reality as an English professor has been recognized by The Chronicle of Higher Education, America Online, and USA Today.  She has been named one of the National Association of Independent School's "Teachers of the Future."