WAMC: The Best of Our Knowledge # 963 (2009-03-02)

The Best of Our Knowledge

The Best of Our Knowledge # 963

(2009-03-02)

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ALBANY, NY (WAMC) - WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
HIGHER EDUCATION SINGLE-GENDER SCHOOLS -

March has been recognized as Women's History Month since 1987. Each year, programs and activities in schools, workplaces, and communities have become more extensive as information and program ideas have been developed and shared.

Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts was founded at a time when there were practically no choices for women who wanted and education equal to that available to men. The idea of such a college was a radical notion back in 1871. But nearly 140 years later, Smith remains true to its mission of providing women with the highest quality it can.

Smith's 10th President is Carol Christ. Her goals include curriculum development, increasing diversity on campus, and making college more accessible and affordable.

TBOOK asked President Carol Christ how Smith has remained so vibrant as a single-gender college?

Julia Taylor reports. (7:00)

**(Attention Listeners and Program Directors. The websites mentioned at the conclusion of the above story for people interested in learning more about Smith College - www.smith.edu , or the National Women's History Project at - www.nwhp.org.)**

GRADUATE ENROLLMENT AND DEGREES/GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS -

For decades, graduate schools in the U.S. have been considered the best in the world. Large numbers of business leaders, researchers, and scientists have been trained in this country. Over the past ten years, some 56 of 91 Nobel Prize Winners in science, medicine, and economics received their graduate degrees in the U.S.

There are some in higher education who worry that the U.S. is no longer well-positioned to produce the knowledge creation work force of the future. They believe there's a leak in the domestic science and engineering pipeline, because the percentage of American students pursuing graduate study in these fields is declining.

This decline will result in fewer discoveries by scientists within the U.S., and a decline in the technology development and innovation on which the country depends for its economic success. This, at a time when the economy needs a boost.

These are the thoughts and sentiments of our next TBOOK guest, Dr. Debra Stewart. As President of the Council of Graduate Schools, Dr. Stewart is a national spokesperson for graduate education in America. And the Council of Graduate Schools is the leading U.S. organization dedicated to improving graduate education. Indeed, its 500 members award over 90% of all U.S. doctorates and about 75% of all master's degrees. The council also counts 26 international universities among its members.

Glenn Busby reports. (8:08)

**(Attention Listeners. If you would like to read more about the Council of Graduate Schools and links to some of the writings of Dr. Debra Stewart, they are online at: www.cgsnet.org .)**

NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH PROFILES
THEO COLBURN -

This year's National Women's History Month theme is "Women Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet." It's to encourage the recognition of the important work of women in the on-going "green movement."

On our shows this month, we'll be featuring profiles of famous women through history. And because of this year's theme, we selected Dr. Theo Colburn to start the month.

Doctor Colburn is a retired Professor of Zoology at the University of Florida in Gainesville. But she may be best known as an environmental health analyst. She's recognized for her studies on the harmful effects of man-made chemicals on animals.

Actress Kate Mulgrew narrates. (2:00)

**(Attention Listeners and Program Directors. If you would like to hear more of these profiles for Women's History Month (there is a new one for each day this month), just go to our exclusive place on the web: www.womeninscience.org and click on The Sounds of Progress button. The series is also downloadable as a Podcast.)**

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