Not your average gift registry...

I missed this story in the NY Times, but caught it on Broadsheet and thought it would be great to pass on the class. The original Times story is here.

New York's Bowery Mission Women's Center's funding ran out during renovation before they could supply nice blankets, comfy pillows and other items that would turn the mission into a home for its 16 homless residents. To solve the problem they set up a gift registry: one at Bed, Bath & Beyond (#1718811) and one at Gracious Home (in-store only, #639).

There are still plenty of items left, if you're able and so inclined to participate in the program.

He, once a She, offers own view on science spat

I came across an interesting article recently that I thought I'd share out with all the Smithies about women in the math and sciences. Here are the first few lines of this article:

Ben Barres had just finished giving a seminar at the prestigious Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research 10 years ago, describing to scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard and other top institutions his discoveries about nerve cells called glia. As the applause died down, a friend later told him, one scientist turned to another and remarked what a great seminar it had been, adding, "Ben Barres's work is much better than his sister's."

There was only one problem. Prof. Barres, then as now a professor of neurobiology at Stanford University, doesn't have a sister in science. The Barbara Barres the man remembered was Ben.

Prof. Barres is transgendered, having completed the treatments that made him fully male 10 years ago. The Whitehead talk was his first as a man, so the research he was presenting was done as Barbara.

Making History at the Seattle Symphony

Carolyn Kuan, Smith '99, will become the first Asian American assistant director of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra this fall.

Check out the full story.

Congrats Carolyn!

Emily White's Wedding

Emily White married Lucien Labrecque at the Smith College Chapel over Columbus Day Weekend (2005.) She is currently teaching fourth grade at Lowell Public Schools and resides in Billerica, MA.

From left to right: Jolie Fradkin '98, Emily White Labrecque '99, Amanda Burton '97

Your New Secretary Is....

INGRID HOWARD

Congratulations Ingrid and a giant thank you to all the women that ran. Any of candidates would have been an excellant choice and the race was very, very close*. I was happy to see that we had 95 women vote in an unexpected mid-term election.

Congrats again Ingrid and thank you to all who ran and voted!

Happy 4th of July,
Tiffany

* records for the election have been maintained for the class records. if you have any questions as to how many votes were cast, vote breakdown and validation of voters please contact the class president or class secretary to see a copy of the files.