More than 350 Students Attended Virtual Women in STEM Career Day
Going virtual did not deter our future women in STEM from attending EXP’s 5th annual Women in STEM Career Day! On February 24, more than 350 students from 10 EXP-supported high schools and 23 guest middle and high schools across Southern California participated in the two-hour action-packed virtual event.
The day kicked off with an energetic keynote from Elaine Gómez, game designer for E-Line Media and co-founder of Latinx in Gaming. Her determination and drive inspired our students for the rest of the program, as well as into the future.
“I learned that it is important not only to embrace your successes, but also your failures,” said Tattianna S., a senior from Carson High School. “I also learned that it is important to stand your ground, stay firm, and to show everyone around you what you're capable of.”
Then the students entered the virtual expo hall to participate in one of the 17 interactive experiences or explore 32 virtual expo booths for clues to the STEM Expedition digital scavenger hunt. According to our post-event student survey, favorite experiences included the tour of the new hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai, The Real CSI of Orange County session featuring an Orange County Crime Lab forensics scientist, and a session called Want to Secure Yourself Online? Think Like a Hacker! with cybersecurity expert Aspen Lindblom of Crowdstrike.
The students wrapped up the day in one of 9 breakout panels with 26 speakers and 9 moderators covering a myriad of industries from aerospace to utilities. Our volunteer STEM professionals shared their career path advice and conversed with the students about their own career journeys and future prospects for their chosen STEM professions.
“Being able to attend the EXP Virtual STEM Event was uplifting and inspiring,” said Danielle Chanes, Western Operations Engineer for Southern California Edison who participated in We Run This Town: Careers in Energy & Utility panel. “I admired all of the wonderful questions and engagement from the young students. Events like this help to change the future of the industry.”
“Thank you so much for giving the students that opportunity,” commented William Steinriede, science teacher, Global Environmental Science Academy Lead, Phineas Banning High School. “Each and every talk and presenter I saw was amazing and pulled you into the conversation. I saw great questions from the students and answers!”
We’re ready for the next generation of STEM women coming up. Are you?
THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS!
Champion Sponsors
Innovator Sponsor
Accelerator Sponsors
Ambassador Sponsors
Exhibitors
Sponsors | * Exhibitors with Interactive STEM Experience
Alpha & Omega Computer & Network Services *
Biotech Connection Los Angeles
The Boeing Company
California State University Dominguez Hills Esports Program *
CyberDEI *
De-Risking Strategies
Edison International / SCE - Southern California Edison
Environmental Nature Center
Ericsson
FedEx *
Freeform Labs
Gensler
Griffith Company
IPSE Women in Pharma
iRobot *
KPMG *
LINXS - LAX Integrated Express Solutions *
LADWP - Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Loyola Marymount University
Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory *
The Port of Los Angeles
OneWest Bank
Orange County Crime Lab *
Prologis
Quinn Company *
Red String Foundation *
Skanska
South Coast AQMD *
Torrance Memorial Medical Center *
Toyota *
Turner Construction Company
Valero Energy Corporation
Waypoint Robotics, Inc. *
WTS Los Angeles
Breakout Panelists & Moderators
* Moderators
Astrid Acuna, California Resource Corporation *
Bacilia Angel, MITRE
Dolly Bali, Microsoft
Jackie Birdsall, Toyota
Danielle Cebra, Valero Energy Corporation
Jan Danielle “JD” Cimeni, CSU Dominguez Hills Esports
Danielle Chanes, Southern California Edison
Madeleine Chernesky, Phillips 66
Anita Chun, Torrance Memorial Medical Center *
Mylesha Davis, Yelp
Izah Deang, Moog Space & Defense
Jennifer Gallup, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Ann Higgins, FedEx
Annette Holland, iRobot *
Michele Iinuma, RN, Torrance Memorial Medical Center
Jaimi Johnson, LADWP
Joanie Kraut, Women in Gaming International *
Aspen Lindblom, CyberDEI / CrowdStrike
Helaine Lopes, PhD, ATC, Torrance Memorial Medical Center
Briella Matsumoto, Port of Los Angeles
Selam Moges, Snap Inc.
Dr. Rachel Muhlbauer, Lockheed Martin
Alma Pena, LINXS
Kristel Quinto, LCSW, Torrance Memorial Medical Center
Lisa Reddy, Prologis *
Mindy Schwartz, Environmental Nature Center
Lorena Silva Garay, CSULB Shark Lab
Raygena Smith, LINXS *
Gelila Solomon, The Boeing Company
Brissa Sotelo-Vargas, Valero Energy Corporation *
Elize Todd, UX Product Designer
Tina Wang, Red String Foundation *
Alexandra Warren Carrasco, CSU Dominguez Hills Esports
Participating EXP-Supported High Schools
Barstow High School
Carson High School
Gardena High School
Lawndale High School
Leuzinger High School (Lawndale)
Manuel Dominguez High School (Compton)
Nathaniel Narbonne High School (Harbor City)
Phineas Banning High School (Wilmington)
Rancho Dominguez Preparatory School (Long Beach)
San Pedro High School
Participating Guest Schools
Anaheim High School
Barstow STEM Academy
Blue Ridge Academy
Cambridge Virtual Academy
Channel Islands High School
CVA
Cypress High School
Dorsey High School
Gahr High School
Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA)
Intellectual Virtues Academy
Katella High School
Loara High School
Magnolia High School
Mayfair High School
Oxford Academy
Savanna High School
School for the Visual Arts & Humanities (RFK Community Schools)
STEM Academy of Hollywood
Sutter Middle School
Temple City High School
Western High School