Annual Women in Science Conference Inspires Next Generation of STEM Leaders

Emily Berry’s love of the outdoors – especially the living organisms calling it home – first sparked her interest in STEM. The more time she spent out in nature, the more questions she had.

“I wanted to understand what was happening at the invisible levels inside these ecosystems: why plants grew where they did; how trees knew when to drop their leaves; how eels knew to travel to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean to mate,” said Berry.

That passion led her to a career in STEM.

“A lifetime of curiosity fueled by wild wanderings and quenched by museums drew me into environmental science and eventually to landscape conservation,” she said.

Now, as the president of Youth in Science Rapid City (YISRC), Berry is helping other students find their love of STEM.

More than 900 middle schoolers from 28 schools will converge on the South Dakota Mines campus from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, for the annual Women in Science Conference hosted by Youth in Science Rapid City and co-sponsored by the university’s Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE).

YISRC’s Women in Science Conference is a free, one-day career-learning workshop designed to provide seventh graders with hands-on opportunities to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). By showcasing exciting careers and positive role models, YISRC hopes to encourage students to take math and science courses during middle and high school and eventually pursue a STEM-related career.

YISRC has been hosting the Women in Science Conference since 2009, starting with just a handful of schools and participants, to more than 900 students expected next week.

“The goal of the Women in Science Conference is to invite students of all backgrounds to learn about STEM careers, meet role models and imagine new possibilities,” Berry said. “Some of our best moments are with the kids who hadn’t seen themselves as high-achieving STEM students before, but learned at the conference that there may be a place for them in STEM, especially if they are curious.”

Last year, a survey of students who attended the conference showed that before attending, 33 percent were considering a science-related career, and after attending, 73 percent would now consider a career in STEM. In addition, YISRC has students who participated in the conference as seventh graders and are now students at Mines or STEM professionals who return to the conference as speakers and volunteers.

“We are making an impact,” Berry said.

The immersion-based experience is designed to provide students 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. The speakers include engineers, physicians, dentists, meteorologists, science educators, veterinarians, geologists and accountants.

Jamie Clapham, Ph.D., longtime physical therapist and member of the Rapid City School Board, will deliver this year’s keynote address. Clapham earned her bachelor’s degree in health and exercise science from Furman University in Greenville, S.C., and her Master of Physical Therapy from the Medical College of Georgia. As a physical therapist, Clapham has treated patients from premature babies to a 103-year-old. Her main areas of interest are working with people with brain and nerve injuries and disorders and caring for older adults. She has been on the school board since 2022 and, since 2019, has helped lead the Black Hawk Elementary PTA. For the past 10 years, she has spoken at the Women in Science Conference, encouraging students to explore careers in science.

The program is funded by grants and community partners. Sponsors include: Platinum Level ($5,000+): Caterpillar; Gold Level ($1,000-$4,999): KLJ Engineering, RESPEC, South Dakota Mines, Halliburton, Monument Health, South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, Coeur Wharf, Black Hills Energy, Microsoft Alumni Network; Silver Level ($500-$999): Black Hills Chapter South Dakota Engineering Society, BankWest, Wildfire Labs, South Dakota Mines WiSE, and with additional support from the Rushmore Hotel & Suites, Midcontinent Testing Laboratories and the South Dakota Discovery Center.