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Independent Power Producer Hope More Women Will Opt For Science And Technology Carreers
The chief executive of Calpine Corporation's central region, senior vice president
Diana Naylor, has challenged business and industry executives to persuade more
girls with high math and science aptitudes to enter technology-related careers.
"Engaging the intellectual and creative interest of today's girls is essential
to tomorrow's high technology workforce," Naylor said recently at a dinner recognizing
the top five teams in the Women in Technology's Girls in Technology 2000 competition
for middle-school girls from ages 11-14.
The GIT2K competition was organized to stimulate interest among young girls
in technology and to empower girls to take leadership roles in articulating
challenges and creating solutions. Research continues to show that interest
in math and science as viable fields of study and career choice for women drops
dramatically as girls age.  First-place team member Megha Agrawal (right) shows Diana Naylor of Calpine Corp. the winning entry, which proposed using satellites in geo-synchronous orbits to collect energy from the sun, then transmitting the solar energy to power stations around the Houston area.
GIT2K teams were asked to identify a problem facing Houston in the new millennium
and to develop a technological solution. The winning team identified a problem
for which experts have devised only partial solutions ? how to sustain energy
supplies despite finite natural resources, while curbing energy-industry pollution.
Their solution: Collect solar power with a satellite in geo-synchronous orbit
and transmit the energy to power stations in the Houston area. The winners built
a model of their proposed solution using only a computer, the Internet and Lego
blocks.
"These young women will become some of the successful leaders and executives
in our industry tomorrow," Naylor said, as she praised their creativity and
resourcefulness. "As one of the many women in key positions in my company, I
am personally pleased to participate in this event."
Calpine Corporation is a leading U.S. independent power company with eight
natural gas-fired merchant facilities in operation, under construction or in
announced development in Texas. In addition to Naylor, the company has three
women in senior executive positions.
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