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Posted on by Anna Truong

Register until Friday, April 5th!

ABOUT

Exploring STEM Day is a conference designed for all 5th through 7th grade girls to learn about career opportunities from women in math, science, and technology-oriented fields. You’ll participate in three fun, hands-on workshops!

This year’s event is being held Saturday, April 13, 2024 from 8:30am-1:30pm.

APRIL 2024

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LOCATION

The conference will be held on The College of Wooster campus. We’ll begin with check-in at McGaw Chapel. College students will guide you to your workshops.

-Check out the workshops available and choose your top 6.

-Register here online, or complete and mail the registration form.

-The $15 registration fee includes all conference materials, a light lunch, and a workshop bag.

Need Financial Assistance?

Fill out this Fee Waiver Form

IMPORTANT

-Workshops are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and participation is limited to the first 200 forms received.

-Registration deadline is March 22nd or until workshops are full

You will be contact confirming your registration the week before the conference. Workshop Schedules will be provided when you check in on April 13th, 2024

COVID SAFTEY GUIDELINES

Exploring STEM Day will follow all COVID safety guidelines of The College of Wooster. Currently, this includes optional masking. These policies are subject to change based on community transmission levels and recommendations by the appropriate health agencies.

QUESTIONS?

Missy Schen: 937-751-6336, or mschen@wooster.edu

FAQ

Will the light lunch have foods that will fit certain dietary restrictions?

We highly suggest bringing your own lunch as the provided lunch may not be as accommodable.

Will there be breakfast?

No, only a light lunch will be provided. Please eat a breakfast before the event!

Workshop Choices

Posted on by Anna Truong

1. A Pigment of Your Imagination

Pigments are what give paint its own special color. They’re made from items found in nature, like plants or insects, or they can be invented in a laboratory. In this session, you’ll discover unique pigments from everyday items using science (and happy accidents) to create your own work of art.

Brooke Wright & Katie Kirkpatrick, Regional Program Manager (Pre K-9 Programs) & Curriculum Writer, National Inventors Hall of Fame

2. Up, Up & Away!

Did you ever wonder how a rocket flies? We will work in engineering teams to design and make rockets out of paper that will fly incredible distances. How high will yours fly?

Laura Grimm, Retired STEAM Teacher, Dalton Local School District

3. Bots Like to Move it, Move it!

Think you can code with just markers and paper? Learn to program Ozobots with just color codes and your imagination. You will also use the Ozobot coding language to program your bot to navigate a maze or move along a geometric shape. Come make your robot “move it, move it”!

Heather Guarnera, Asst. Prof. of Mathematical & Computational Sciences, College of Wooster

4. Welcome to Chickasaurus Park

Ever wondered which came first, the chicken or the Dinosaur? We’ll properly identify dinos among the reptiles, experiment with DNA, and discover how dinosaurs may be closer than you think!

Caitlyn Deeter, Educational Technology Associate, College of Wooster

5. Let’s Get Snacky With It!

Your team will be provided ingredients and criteria of a balanced snack – but it’s up to you to formulate the dish and explain how your creation is the snack. Taste-testing will close out the session! Allergy notice: Excludes the major 8 allergens, yet a variety of foods are used, so proceed with caution.

Kirsten Kurtz, RDN, LD, Registered Dietitian, Wooster Community Hospital

6. Delicious or Dangerous?

Our animal friends sometimes eat the strangest things! What happens when our pets eat something they shouldn’t? Let’s explore some common household items that could be dangerous to our pets. Then help diagnose the cause of the belly ache!

Shannon K. Walsh, DVM, DVM Associate Veterinarian, Country Corner Animal Clinic

7. Zany Brainy

Ever wonder how you can pat your head and rub your belly at the same time? Discover what that 3 pounds of brain between your ears really does with hands-on exercises and experiences!

Amy Jo Stavnezer, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Wooster

8. Make a Computer Program from Scratch!

Have you ever wanted to make your own interactive stories, games, or animations? Get started with Scratch, a programming language & online community where you can create all of these – and share them with others!

Peggy Winkler, Software Engineering Manager, PRC-Saltillo

9. The Humpty Dumpty Experiment

Can an ordinary egg survive a two-story drop without turning into eggnog? Compete to see who can build an egg-packaging device that protects Humpty Dumpty from his great fall!

Laura DeGroot, PhD, College of Wooster

10. The Science of Cosmetics

Do you really want to put that on your face? Learn about the science that goes into developing cosmetics and hear about the chemistry behind it all while you make your own natural lip balm!

Jennifer Faust, PhD, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, College of Wooster

11. Call the Plant Doctor!

Did you know that plants get sick too? Would you like to be a plant doctor on call and help a plant figure out what is wrong? We will conduct a diagnostic triage through use of microscopes and visual observations to diagnose the problem and identify which microbe is threatening the health of our plant.

Francesca Rotondo, PhD & Jennifer Wilson, PhD, Program Director for
the Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic, The Ohio State University & Research
Scientist, USDA Agricultural Research Service

12. Master the Sound Waves

Ready to be a podcast content creator? With your voice and your creativity, create your own audio episode from scripting, to recording, to editing.

Emily Armour, Educational Technologist, College of Wooster

13. Myth of the Cave People

Explore the cultural world of the Neanderthal. Examine real skulls and learn about the latest discoveries in physical anthropology. Could you have Neanderthal genes?

Pam Frese, PhD, Professor of Anthropology, College of Wooster

14. Math, Music & Movement

Have you heard of “Zumba” or other dance fitness classes? There’s more that goes into each song that you might know! Learn about beats per minute for cardiorespiratory health, how to break down and count out a song, and specific exercises that are beneficial for activities of daily living before working together to choreograph a song!

Karrie McAllister, ACE CPT, Personal Trainer & Fitness Instructor, YMCA of Wayne County, Orrville Branch

15. Rocks, Rivers & Beaches – Oh My!

Ever wondered why rivers look the way they do or why the beach looks different every time you visit? We’ll use a stream table (a big sandbox that we can move water through) to learn how water moves dirt, sand, and rocks; and why understanding this is important when building houses and roads.

Rebecca Matecha, PhD, Assistant Professor of Earth Sciences, College of Wooster

16. Energy from Here to There

Ever wonder how vital energy resources make their journey from wellhead to end use? Join us for a hands-on experience simulating the process, designing and constructing pipelines to facilitate the smooth flow of energy. Come flex your engineering muscles and explore the fascinating world of energy logistics!

Shawn Toy & Mandolyn Newell, Education & Workforce Development Manager & Education and Workforce Programs Associate, Ohio Natural Energy Institute Branch

17. Not your Grandma’s Wound Care

Abrasions, avulsions, and penetrating trauma – oh my! We will look at different types of wounds, how to treat them, when to definitely call 911, and how wounds can be simulated for medical education. Note: Simulated wounds with fake blood used in this session.

Danya Morris, MA Ed., NRP, Director, Cleveland Clinic Akron General EMS Education Program

18. Upside Down & Right Side Up

We’ll explore the physical, emotional, and mental benefits of the yoga practice, especially when we get upside down! After discussing the science behind inversions and how yoga benefits the brain and body, we will put these concepts into practice with our bodies!

Cassie Gibson, Yoga Teacher, Flex Yoga

19. Infection!

Have you ever seen germs? You’ll take a look through microscopes at some of the amazing germs that cause infections and solve a puzzle about a mysterious illness in an elementary school.

Stephanie Strand, PhD, Associate Professor of Biology, College of Wooster

20. Sweet Science

How much sugar is in the juice or soda we drink? How do water filters work? Our experiments will help us to see how sweet food chemistry is!

Brandi James, PhD Candidate, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, College of Wooster