Local students had the chance to work hands-on with a 3D-printing machine, robots, and dissection tools among many other things at the 5th annual Women in Science Symposium hosted by the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance and the Lacawac Sanctuary& Biological Field Station on September 17 at the Woodloch Pines Resort.
Western Wayne was one of the schools present at the event along with Delaware Valley, Wayne Highlands, Valley View, MMI Preparatory School, and Wallenpaupack Area. Over 300 students attended the event. The keynote speaker this year was Dr. Katie Leonard, president of Johnson College.
The purpose of the event was to give students, like women, minorities and other underdeveloped groups, information on STEM career paths, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education. Students met with representatives from local colleges to discuss career options, hear presentations from female, working professionals and had the opportunity to speak with these professionals after the presentations finished.
Female students from both the Western Wayne middle and high schools had the chance to attend the event.
The high school students from Western Wayne in attendance who have attended the event for multiple years prior said this was the best symposium yet.
“It was all very interactive and hands-on,” Alexandria Bien-Aime, a sophomore at Western Wayne, explained. “I want to be a surgeon so I was particularly interested in the station where I got to use tools to dissect animals.”
Alexandria’s classmate Hudson Malinowski also liked the unique hands-on stations at the symposium.
“I got to work with a robot and program it to play music,” Hudson, who wishes to pursue a career in music, said.
The students explained how there were many different colleges represented at the event and that they were able to explore different majors.
Sophomore Mia Rovinsky especially enjoyed the college fair portion of the event.
“It was good to hear other students’ questions and concerns about the STEM field in the question and answer sessions,” Mia, who wants to be a doctor, said.
Mia’s classmate sophomore Rachel Tuman also enjoyed taking advantage of all of the information about colleges and STEM at the symposium.
“I think the experience helped us all to refine our knowledge,” Rachel, who wishes to pursue a career in forensic science, said. “I enjoyed seeing all of the people there willing to help propel us into a science career.”
From left: Western Wayne sophomores Hudson Malinowski, Alexandria Bien-Aime, Rachel Tuman, and Mia Rovinsky.
