This conference is full and no longer taking registrations.
(7th-grade girls only)
| Conference Schedule | |
| 9:30 - 10:00 a.m. | Registration |
| 10:15 - 11:00 a.m. | Keynote Address by Dr. Sally Dobyns |
| 11:15 a.m. - 12 Noon | Breakout Session |
| 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | Complimentary Box Lunch |
| 1 - 1:50 p.m. | Breakout Session |
| The Gifted Girls Conference is offered by the Gifted Students Institute (click here for the GSI home page). | |
Click here for a PDF of the breakout sessions to be offered at the 2009 Gifted Girls Conference.
Make Decisions - Be
Proactive
Dr. Sally Dobyns
This session will be
limited to one student from each school represented at the conference. It will
be an opportunity for the selected girls to discuss and participate in Dr.
Dobyns’ ongoing research regarding high-achieving young women.
Writing Your Own Story
Suzanne Frank—Director:
Continuing and Professional Education Creative Writing Program, SMU; Author of
seven novels
We're each the hero in our story. Learn what kind of hero you are and
how to make the "story" of your life satisfying to you. You already
have all the pieces...
The Future is Nearer Than
You Think
Alan Ramirez and Kerry Schneidewind—SMU Admissions Counselors
College is a time to grow personally,
intellectually, socially, mentally, and physically. With over 3,000 colleges in
the country, the options for post-high school life are enormous. You are in the
driver's seat when it comes to selecting a college. What do you want to study?
What types of classes do you want to engage in and share your opinion? What
goals do you have for the future? Come learn about how to be successful when
making the step towards college life.
Space Exploration and
Mars
Kurt Chankaya— Aerodynamics
Engineer, Member of the Mars Society
Come examine how people can go explore, and
live, on Mars in the near future. We'll do an overview of what it takes to reach
out to, land on, and explore new worlds in outer space, such as rocketry,
planetary orbits, and spacesuit design, with the emphasis on the planet Mars.
This session will briefly look at the history of the Apollo program, unmanned
robots on Mars, what has been found, and what we can hope to find in the
future. This is not just for the scientist, but anyone interested in the next
new frontier.
What is Leadership?
Dr. Carol Clyde, Director of Leadership and Community Involvement, SMU
We talk about leadership all the time, but do you know
what it really means? Participants will spend time learning what the word means
and how they can apply it in everyday situations. Girls lead differently – find
out how to make the best of it and outshine those around you!
The Cracked, But Not Shattered Glass Ceiling
Lindsey Martin,
SMU Graduate Student; and Matthew Thompson, Political Consultant
This break-out session will be an interactive discussion covering various
topics pertaining to the equality of women in America and world-wide. This
conversation is purely intellectual and will not be grounded on political or
religious ideologies. We will also discuss how some self-acclaimed
"feminists" have actually become the biggest roadblock to reaching true gender
equality. Some of the topics we will discuss are: (1) choosing between a family
and a career; (2) changing your last name at marriage and children taking the
father's name; (3) the history of wedding ceremonies (you'll be shocked); and
(4) beauty and the brain - they CAN coexist!
Robots All Around
Nathan Huntoon—SMU Graduate Engineering Student
Robots have gone from science fiction to
reality. Come and learn about how robots are crucial in nearly every aspect of
our lives. We will talk about how robots are used in modern society, and where
the future for robots is going. Special attention will be paid to the amazing
advancements in medicine made possible through robotics.
From Abe Lincoln to Avril Lavigne, and Other Mind Blowing Connections
Dr. Heather McMinn, SMU
Instructor,
Psychoeducational Consultant and Assessment Strategist
Explore how the brain makes learning
connections through association. Students will gain an understanding of basic
neural and brain anatomy using sensory and perceptual cues. Learning
principles, classical conditioning and operant conditioning, will be introduced
experientially to help students appreciate the influence of everyday stimuli in
their lives. Other questions examined include: how do you recognize a penny;
can you make sense of “gibberish” (yes, you can – but why and how?); what does
the automaticity of language mean for you as a learner and thinker, and where
does Avril fit in all of this? Students will enjoy this interactive and lively
look at the brain, thinking (the mind), and learning.
Conference LocationThe Gifted Girls Conference will be held in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center on the SMU campus. A confirmation letter will be mailed to each participant as reservations are received. Parking directions and map are available on the SMU website. Space is limited; please make reservations early.
The conference registration fee per person is $45. The registration fee for girls who are eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program is only $10. The Conference is limited to 7th-grade girls and their sponsors, but each teacher/sponsor who registers five girls will receive a free registration. Breakfast is NOT provided, and the light lunch (included in the registration fee) is not served until 12:15.
Complete a registration form for each girl and adult attending (copy the form as needed). All girls must be accompanied by either a teacher or a parent, and there must be at least one sponsor for every ten girls. Notice that the form requires a Guardian's signature for each girl.
No reservations will be made without a registration form for the
participant. Please mail your group's registrations together in one
packet with a check or purchase order payable to GSI/SMU. Sponsor
registrations must accompany group registrations. Registrations and
payment information must be postmarked by April 12th and sent to:
Gifted Students Institute
Southern Methodist University
PO Box 750383
Dallas TX 75275-0383Phone: 214-768-4383
Fax: 214-768-3147
e-Mail: gifted@smu.edu