The University of Washington Bothell will host the Inspire STEM Festival from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Oct. 10. The festival will take place at UW Bothell, and will feature hands-on workshops, guest speakers, and a street fair filled with interactive exhibits – all with a focus on getting 5th-8th grade girls (and boys) excited about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Boeing, Google, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner, Washington FIRST Robotics and the Museum of Flight will be among the many exhibitors. Students can choose two of nearly 40 interactive workshops, including robotics, sponsored by Google, “Fun with Physics,” “The Chemistry of Pancakes,” “Molecular Madness,” and “The Science behind Chocolate.” There will also be five workshops for adults, including “Scams, Shams & Identity Theft” and “STEM Careers and College Pathways.”
The 2014 event attracted more than 500 girls and boys and was so popular that attendance is expected to reach 700 this year. In addition to the hands-on workshops and exhibits, the Inspire STEM Festival will welcome back former astronaut Captain Wendy Lawrence, a veteran of four space flights with more than 1255 hours in space and UW Bothell Advisory Board member. Also on board for this fun-filled day will be NASA educator Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger.
Elaine Scott, Ph.D., is dean of the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics at UW Bothell.
“The Inspire STEM Festival is a great opportunity to really inspire young girls to see all the wonderful things they can do in the STEM fields,” says Scott. “It’s an opportunity for them to get excited, for them to get their hands dirty, to meet professionals in the STEM disciplines and stretch their imaginations with what they can do.”
UW Bothell is committed to increasing the number of STEM students from underrepresented populations, including women. The university intentionally recruits faculty who thrive on teaching and who can serve as outstanding mentors and examples. Four out of 10 STEM faculty members are women, far outpacing other four-year universities.
Several business, industry and community partners in our region have partnered with UW Bothell for this very important event to encourage more girls to consider STEM-related fields. Those sponsors include: WSECU, Evergreen Health, Boeing, Ride Family Foundation, Google, GE Health, Adobe, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Olympus Spiration, AT&T, Washington State Opportunity Scholarship, CMC Biologics, Silicon Mechanics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Cascadia College, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Fun, interactive in-studio demos are available during this time leading up to the Inspire STEM Festival. Guests, who can discuss the importance of encouraging STEM engagement among middle school girls, will also be available. Please contact Lisa Hall to arrange an interview, in-studio segment, or festival coverage.
Inspire STEM Festival registration is now open. The $15 advance registration fee includes admission to workshops and street fair, as well as lunch (scholarships are available). For more information, visit www.uwb.edu/inspire, or email STEMfest@uw.edu.
