STEM Savvy supporter Paul Haley of Trenton and Susan White, manager of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge with some of the students at the event.
The AAUW (American Association of University Women) Wyandotte- Downriver Branch this spring hosted its sixth annual STEM Savvy conference, designed to develop girls’ awareness and pursuit of educational and career paths in “STEM” — which stands for science, technology, engineering and math.
The symposium for middle school girls was attended by 111 students from 16 local districts, and held at the Wayne County Community College facility in Taylor.
Participants were addressed by keynote speakers Dr. Susan White, manager of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, and Dr. Marlo Rencher, vice president of innovation, entrepreneurship and diversity at Cleary University.
Several workshops held at the event included presentations by Kristin Simoneaux, mechanical engineer, Stantec Architecture; Alison Houston, manufacturing data analytics manager, Ford Motor Co.; Annette Januszczak, manufacturing systems technical specialist, Ford Motor Co.; Nicole DesJardins, a doctoral candidate at Arizona State University; Stephanie Prechter, artist, Stephanie Prechter LLC; Dr. Lisa O’Donnell, School of Social Work professor, Wayne State University; Dr. Inhan Lee, president, miRcore; Dr. Jeanne Hankett, analytical scientist, BASF; and Denise Grimsley, analytical scientist, BASF.
Attendance was free, made possible by donations from AAUW members and families and the AAUW Wyandotte-Downriver Foundation. Extensive feedback indicated that the day-long program inspired the girls as they explored new ideas and were exposed to a variety of interesting STEM occupations. Their counselors and the professionals who participated were likewise impressed with the enthusiastic responses of the students.
Twenty-five years after Barbie lamented, “Math class is tough,” the discussion around girls’ aptitude in science, technology, engineering, and math and women’s place in the STEM workforce continues, and though STEM fields are among the most in-demand and lucrative in the world, women and girls still walk away at almost every step of the education path.
Since AAUW’s precursor raised money in 1920 to enable Marie Curie to purchase radium for her research, the organization has continued to work in many ways to promote women and a more balanced workforce in STEM fields, in the belief that it will improve American competitiveness in the world market, and close the gender wage gap. According to AAUW, closing the pay gap would cut the poverty rate for working women in half and lift 2.5 million children in this country out of poverty.
For more information visit https://downriver-mi.aauw.net/.