BILLINGS — Montana State University Billings invites the community to attend the 10th annual Girls-n-Science event on Saturday, Oct. 12.
Take part in a variety of hands-on, minds-on STEM activities beginning at 1 p.m. in Alterowitz Gym.
This event is designed to encourage young females to explore many science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities, with emphasis on participants in the middle school age group.
Featuring more than 30 interactive booths, STEM-related professionals showcase science to girls in fun, educational ways while giving them one-on-one contact with important role models.
While activities are designed to challenge participants in fourth through eighth grades, the entire family is welcome.
Participants must be accompanied by an adult.
No registration is needed for this event, and the first 300 girls will receive a commemorative souvenir backpack.
New to this year’s activities, 65 seventh and eighth grade girls have registered to attend “Girls-n-Science: A Taste of STEM”. Registration for this event filled up in less than two weeks, which is “a robust response for this type of program,” said Michele McMullen, Girls-n-Science chair and MSU Billings Science faculty member.
During “A Taste of STEM”, girls will enjoy dinner and meet female STEM professionals while learning about careers in science, technology, math, and engineering.
This year’s STEM Champions include Paula Austin, Rebecca Wacker, Hannah Groves, Shikin Lockman, Crystal Hopper, Dr. Lynn George, and Dr. Michele Spenny, each experts in their field. For more information visit www.msubillings.edu/girls/.
The Taste of STEM dinner is hosted by ExxonMobil.
“We are proud to continue the tradition of Girls-n-Science at MSU Billings,” said McMullen. “We are very much ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’...the past events have been very successful, and we hope to keep up the momentum! We are especially looking forward to our new “Taste of STEM” segment, which will be a wonderful opportunity for the girls to see MSUB Science labs in action, meet STEM role models, and socialize with other kids who enjoy ‘nerding-out’ about science and math.”
“Given the gender disparity that continues to persist in the STEM arena, particularly in technology and engineering, I’m proud that MSUB is taking steps to address this. It’s our hope that MSUB’s annual Girls-n-Science event will help break the STEM ceiling for Montana girls,” said Girls-n-Science co-chair and Assistant Professor Lynn George.
The 2019 Girls-n-Science event is sponsored by MSU Billings, Exxon Mobil, the MSUB Foundation, Q2 KTVQ, Amgen, Computers Unlimited, Riverstone Health, Girl Scouts of Montana & Wyoming, Sibanye-Stillwater, Billings Clinic, Billings Works – Big Sky Economic Development, BNSF, Brewer Dental Center, Electrical Consultants Inc., Energy Laboratories, HDR Engineering Inc., Montana BioScience Alliance, Montana Geological Society, Phillips 66, Stockman Bank, and Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic.
For questions contact Michele McMullen at 406-657-2019, mtmcmullen@msubillings.edu.
