What is WISE?

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What is WISE? Established in 1993 with funds from the National Science Foundation, WISE is a unique program designed to encourage talented women who are interested in math, science, and/or engineering. It offers special enrichment courses, extracurricular programs, and interaction with other bright women - undergraduates, graduates, and faculty.

If you are considering a career in science (including social sciences), computer science, information technology, math, medicine, engineering, or a similar field, WISE is ideal. WISE is at the core of a great university, with unfettered access to its acclaimed faculty and resources. With only 50 students admitted each year, WISE can offer you the special classes, early research experiences, personalized academic advising and small study groups to put you at the heart of a community where you can excel.

Getting in shape for your future means more than taking the right courses. It means immersing yourself in the best support system possible.

Diving Right In

As a WISE woman you'll do more than skim the surface. At Stony Brook, the research possibilities are almost endless, and as a WISE woman you'll take two courses in your first year that will give you a head start in getting involved in exciting research opportunities.

You'll begin with an introductory course, On Becoming a Scientist, usually taught by a woman faculty member in science, math, or engineering. Alongside other WISE women, you'll explore the resources available at the university, and be exposed to the depth and breadth of research opportunities in a range of disciplines

Then, in the spring, you'll have your first hands-on experience in the WISE course, Introduction to Research. Working in small groups with other WISE women, you will undertake research projects in four different areas of science and engineering to gain first-hand exposure to the diversity and variety in the world of science/math/engineering. Projects in recent years include:

  • Exploration of the biological and abiotic factors controlling gas exchange between plants and the atmosphere, and the importance of plants in controlling atmospheric chemistry
  • DNA manipulation through use of PCR, restriction enzyme digestion analysis, gene cloning, transformation
  • Understanding atmospheric predictability and the challenges facing weather forecasters.
  • Examination of the important engineering concept of adhesion and how we persuade things to stick together that don't want to, including the recent example of the Firestone tire fiasco.

Learning From the Best…

Many of Stony Brook's award-winning faculty work closely with WISE students. You might study calculus with Professor Dusa McDuff, one of only three female mathematicians to be elected a Fellow by the Royal Society of London and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Marine chemist Mary Scranton, the first woman to study aboard a Navy nuclear research sub, might be your guide on an outward-bound research vessel. Or you might take an anthropology class with Patricia Wright, winner of a MacArthur "Genius" Award, who is doing seminal work on conservation of the rain forest in Madagascar.

WISE women interact with dedicated members of the faculty in lots of ways - in class, in the lab, and at special monthly meetings. These informal evenings are a fun way for the entire WISE community to get together for dinner and discussion, or to hear presentations from students, faculty, or visiting scientists.

…At the Best Place

A rigorous and thorough science education is yours for the taking at Stony Brook. With extensive course offerings and state-of-the-art facilities such as the Center for High Pressure Research, a global greenhouse, and the nuclear linear accelerator, you won't have to make your mind up right away.

Stony Brook is one of just ten universities nationwide to be selected for a National Science Foundation Recognition Award for its undergraduate science education. And a recent study places Stony Brook among the top three research universities in the United States.

…In the Best Program

WISE has been selected as a national model program by the National Science Foundation for its outstanding success.

Women in Medicine Initiative

A recent addition to the WISE Program is a BS/MD option for a select group of outstanding applicants interested in a career in medicine. Students who have been accepted into the WISE Women in Medicine initiative are guaranteed a seat in the School of Medicine at SUNY Stony Brook upon graduation provided they complete the 4-year WISE program and all required pre-medical courses, maintain a minimum 3.4 GPA, and successfully complete and attain a cumulative MCAT score comparable to the national average of medical school matriculates. However, enrollment in the Women in Medicine initiative is limited, and you must meet the eligibility criteria to apply. Be sure to review the special instructions on the application form if you are interested.

The Beauty of Small Numbers

One of the nicest things about WISE is its size: Only fifty students are accepted each year. So, WISE gives you all the benefits of a small community, and all the advantages of a major university.

The beauty of small numbers is that you, as a WISE woman, can shine. You'll be part of a close-knit and diverse community, mingling with women from many different cultures and from all over the world. Most WISE women dorm together in Whitman College Residence Hall (where WISE students have priority), making study sessions and simply hanging out together that much easier.

Our small size makes big connections possible. A perfect example is how networking within WISE has led many of our students to summer internships, scholarships, and employment.

Point of entry is often a summer internship at Brookhaven National, which is affiliated with WISE. A former WISE student Vicky Paroder spent a summer at Cold Spring Harbor isolating a gene responsible for cancer. Current students Laura Reilly, Lana Mansfield, Norah Warchola and Eleanor Hynes have all received Fellowships from the Battelle Corporation to pursue research projects at Brookhaven National Lab.

Classroom connections, too, often lead to success. WISE woman Kristen Moore, under the supervision of Stony Brook astrophysicist Kenneth Lanzetta, created a video simulating a journey back in time through the Hubble Deep Field image of distant galaxies. Kristen's project was presented at the Goddard Space Center.

WISE Women Excel

  • WISE women do research earlier
    About 40% or Stony Brook undergrads participate in research. 100% of WISE students do.
  • WISE women get better grades
    On the whole, WISE students do significantly better in all their courses than other undergraduates on campus. And they do especially well in math and science.
  • WISE women get the honors
    Many of the Stony Brook inductees into Phi Beta Kappa are WISE women. More than 50% of WISE women belong to Sigma Beta, Golden Key and other honor societies. Every year, WISE women are typically among the recipients of Howard Hughes Research Scholarships, Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships, and Battelle Fellowships. Finally, in recent years, the university valedictorian has frequently been a WISE woman.

A WISE woman receives:

  • Scholarship support
  • Membership in small study and mentoring groups led by junior and senior women majoring in science, mathematics, or engineering. The groups provide academic and social support and help incoming students learn their way around the Stony Brook campus.
  • Priority registration (the opportunity to register before most other students so you never get "closed-out" of a class).
  • Individualized academic advising that begins at Orientation.
  • Priority housing in Whitman College Residence Hall, home to both WISE and students in other special programs.
  • The opportunity to take courses and sections of courses specially created for WISE and Honors College students.
  • Varied evening programs that range from presentations by women scientists to panel discussions and workshops on such topics as writing a resume or preparing applications for special scholarships.
  • Assistance in identifying a good research supervisor and laboratory in which to do research (for credit or pay).
  • Use of the WISE computer room in Whitman College.
  • Inclusion in a network of women scientists that provides vital information on fellowships, research opportunities, scholarships, and jobs.

Program Requirements

WISE students complete the following academic requirements (WISE requirements may simultaneously be used to fulfill general education requirements or requirements for the student's major):

Year One

  • Becoming a Scientist (special section of USB 101): This one-credit class provides a broad introduction to Stony Brook. The WISE section, taught by a female scientist, is exclusively for WISE women, and emphasizes research and other special opportunities in the sciences, mathematics and engineering.
  • Introduction to Research (WSE 187): This exciting course gives WISE students hands-on research experiences. Working in small groups with other WISE women, each student will do research in four diverse areas of science and engineering.
  • Two semesters of math and two semesters of science.
  • Mentoring sessions (a maximum of 6 hours per week).
  • Evening meetings unless there is a direct class conflict.

Years Two to Four

  • The Social Dimensions of Science (WSE 242): This course examines the way social, cultural, political, and economic factors including gender shape the way science is carried out. A unique aspect is the case study in which students are linked with women researchers from Brookhaven National Laboratory. Together they investigate the impact of one of these dimensions on the researcher's work or professional development.
  • Either Mathematics Problems and Games (MAT 160) or Connections in Science (PHY 311).
  • Advanced math or a computer science course
  • Seminars in Leadership and Mentoring, and in Professional Development
  • Senior Honors Thesis/Design Project - satisfied through successful completion of a year-long independent research project culminating in the submission of a substantial research paper/project design. The senior honors thesis/design project requirement may be satisfied within the student's major.
  • Three or more evening meetings per year. Evening programs are usually held monthly, and students completing the four-year WISE program are expected to play an increasing role in planning sessions and leading discussion groups.

Making the WISE Choice

WISE is not for everyone. Admission is competitive. Candidates must be women graduating from high school and going directly to college. They must have a demonstrated aptitude or interest in science, math, or engineering, as evidenced by

  • four years of math or science courses in high school
  • above-average grades
  • research or other relevant experience
  • minimum score of 600 on the quantitative SAT or on an SAT science or math achievement test, or an ACT score of at least 27
  • extracurricular activities such as participation in athletics or in a science club

Women in Medicine Initiative

  • Eligibility requirements:
    • Acceptance into the WISE program.
    • Combined verbal and mathematics SAT score of at least 1350
  • Application includes a second essay (see application instructions)
  • The individuals with the strongest applications will be nominated for interview by the SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine Admissions Committee.
  • Acceptance into the Women in Medicine Initiative is determined by the decision of the Medical School Admissions Committee.
  • Application for the Women in Medicine initiative will not impact on your admission into WISE.


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