An estimated 835 middle school girls will converge
on the South Dakota Mines campus from 9 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.
on Tuesday, March 12, for the annual Women in Science Conference. The keynote
address will take place in the Goodell Gym while the exhibit hall will be in
the Fraser Gym with other speakers spread across the Mines campus.
The immersion-based experience is designed to
provide young women with engaging opportunities to learn about careers in
science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
A wide range of STEM careers will be demonstrated by
professional women leading interactive exhibits and discussions. Among the
speakers are engineers, physicians, dentists, meteorologists, science
educators, veterinarians, geologists and accountants.
Katrina Donovan, Ph.D., lecturer in the Department
of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at South Dakota Mines, will offer
the keynote address.
Every 7th grade girl in the Rapid City
Area School District will attend as well as girls from American Horse School,
Custer, Douglas, Edgemont, EmpowerEd, Hermosa, Hill City, Hot Springs, Isna
Wica Owayawa (Loneman), Kadoka, Little Wound, New Underwood, Our Lady of
Lourdes, Red Cloud, St. Paul’s, St. Thomas More, Wall and Wolf Creek Middle
School as well as homeschooled students.
The program is hosted by Youth in
Science Rapid City, Inc. and co-sponsored by Mines’ Women in
Science and Engineering (WiSE) program and funded by grants and community
partners. Sponsors include: Platinum Level ($5,000+): Caterpillar; Gold Level
($1,000-$4,999): South Dakota Mines, Halliburton, Monument Health, South Dakota
Space Grant Consortium, Coeur Wharf, Solitario Resources, Black Hills Energy,
Microsoft Alumni Network; Silver Level ($500-$999): Black Hills Chapter South
Dakota Engineering Society, Black Hills Community Bank, The Marina at Sheridan
Lake, Midcontinent Testing Laboratories, RESPEC, Sanford Underground Research
Facility, South Dakota Mines WiSE; Bronze Level (Up to $499): South Dakota
Gives and with additional support from the Rushmore Hotel & Suites, The
South Dakota Discovery Center and BankWest.