Students listened to a panel discuss current issues affecting women, such as sexism in the workplace, cultural norms and violence, last night in the HUB-Robeson center.

The panel, which comprised five women speakers affiliated with Penn State, spoke to a woman-dominated audience of about 25 students.

Organizer Audra Hixson said her motivation for choosing the women on the panel was that they were "from a variety of perspectives."

Hixson invited women from the areas of religion, science and engineering, women's studies, information technology, and affirmative action to speak about their personal experiences and opinions.

"They are all women whose life experiences have educated them in addition to their work experiences," she said.

The panel spoke extensively about inequality among men and women.

"There is a narrow definition of what a woman is," said Eileen Trauth, professor of information technology. She said women are held to a different standard than men.

Nüket Acar, Women in the Sciences and Engineering Institute associate director, said inequality is not as bad today as it has been in the past.

"We've come a long way since the '60s and '70s, but there are still barriers," she said. "We are working towards 50-50 equality, and our job won't be done until we see that happening."

The panel named violence against women as one of the biggest problems facing women today. It gave examples of women being raped and tortured during wars in the Middle East, Africa and Yugoslavia.

Acar said women in the United States are unaware of war atrocities to women in other countries.

"Here we are, a bunch of women in this country, so sheltered," she said.

Rosemary Munagi, who works in the Office of Affirmative Action, said she was born in Nigeria during a civil war and witnessed similar violence. She said although women are victims in war, they are "not considered during reconstruction and rebuilding."

The panel named education as a solution to many of the inequality problems.

Acar said she believes the issues should be presented as part of the first year seminar requirement.

Eleanor Annan (senior-nutrition) said the panel touched on many important topics.

"It really opened my eyes to a lot of things happening that I don't usually see or hear," Annan said. She said with the country focused on war and terrorism issues, women's issues are "in the background now."

The event was part of the continuing events to celebrate Women's History Month.