Women faculty reveal their research work
By Rebecca Brown
Daily Forty-Niner
Three women faculty members at Cal State
Long Beach presented their comprehensive research work Tuesday in front
of more than 80 friends and colleagues at this year's Women's Colloquium.
Women's studies professor Eve Oishi, associate
professor Margaret Merryfield of the chemistry and biochemistry department,
and professor Suzanne Marshall of family and consumer sciences were the
instructors who presented their work.
Each professor conducted research in their
respective field.
The event was cosponsored by the Women's
Resource Center and the President's Commission on the Status of Women,
a campus organization in partnership with the President's Office that addresses
issues impacting women faculty, staff and students.
"The colloquium gives the departments
a chance to showcase their work to the university community," said Alicia
Del Campo, President's Commission director.
"This is the largest turnout we have had
in quite some time."
Oishi focused her research on Winifred
Eaton, one of the first Asian-American novelists and Hollywood screenwriters.
She began her presentation with a narrative
about Eaton's life and work.
Her most popular novels were set in Japan,
featuring love stories between Japanese women and white American men.
"Most scholars, myself included, credit
her with gap identity attitudes toward the Chinese," Oishi said.
Eaton, who published her work under the
alias Onoto Watanna, was Chinese-Canadian, Oishi said.
Eaton has written more than a dozen books,
including "Miss Nume of Japan" and her biography, "Me. A Book of Remembrance."
Eaton also had a number of screenplays
that she was involved in such as Phantom of the Opera and Showboat, Oishi
said.
After Oishi concluded her presentation,
Merryfield discussed a project faculty members from the natural sciences
and women's studies departments worked together to develop.
The project, titled "Women and Scientific
Literacy: Building Two-Way Streets," analyzes women's impact in science.
"There is a notion that there are not a
lot of women in science," Merryfield said. "And that science reflects a
masculine perspective."
She said her goal is to foster female-friendly
science at CSULB. For example, a class called Women and Science is scheduled
to be offered in spring 2000 under the women's studies department. Similar
courses may be added.
"You can think of more appealing ways to
present science without exposing biases," she said. "We want to look
at things from a different angle." |
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