SHEBOYGAN, WIS. (October 2, 2023) – The Sheboygan Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is gearing up to hold the sixth annual Girls STEM Day Conference Saturday, Nov. 4, at Sheboygan South High School, located at 1240 Washington Ave. in Sheboygan, Wis.

The popular event was established in 2017 with the goal of connecting sixth through ninth-grade girls with the various applications of STEM by focusing on the core fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

The conference, which runs from 7:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. beginning with check-in from 7:45 a.m. to 8:15 a.m., features 10 unique STEM-inspiring sessions, along with a presentation from keynote speaker Dr. Marissa Jablonski from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin from 8:15-9 a.m.

“Our goal with the Girls STEM Day Conference is to encourage young girls to discover, explore and learn from STEM field experts in a wide range of specialty areas related to careers in science, technology, engineering and math,” Sheboygan Branch AAUW member and Girls STEM Day Co-Chair Allyson Olivier said. “Since 2006, AAUW has taken on an initiative to empower girls to pursue careers in STEM fields. This initiative has taken several forms on a national level. Here in Sheboygan County, we are doing it through this conference.”

The conference includes a highly diverse collection of STEM field experts, including Jablonski, who is an accomplished water engineer, environmental advisor and plastics-reduction expert, who has worked in more than 45 countries around the world. In her role as the executive director of the Freshwater Collaborative of the Wisconsin at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Jablonski is highly active in the STEM-focused areas of engineering education, water distribution and sanitation design and construction.

Conference participants will have the opportunity to choose three of 10 available 45-minute STEM sessions running between 9:15 a.m. and noon.

According to Sheboygan Branch AAUW Member and Girls STEM Day Co-Chair Lori Bryne, this year’s STEM sessions cover a broad array of topics including architectural design (Architecture – Designed Awareness presented by Kurt Davis, Anne Blanke, Taylor Kranzusch, Sydney Goetsch and Sam Krakow of Abacus Architects), graphic design (Beginner’s Graphic Design presented by Deb Sevens of Designs by Deb Sevens), robotics (Robotic Surgery presented by Dr. Jessica Leszcynski of Prevea Health), veterinary science (A Look Inside the Bovine Hide presented by Dr. Ellen Hooker, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture veterinarian), forensic science (Crime Scene Investigation presented by Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department Detective Tyler Wuestenhagen), applied chemistry (Chem Demons presented by UW-Green Bay, Sheboygan County Professor James Kabrhel and Sheboygan Falls Middle School teacher Pam Salm), food science (Sensory of Sausage presented by Johnsonville Sausage Corporation R&D Associate Scientist Becca Stayner ), the science of color and appearance (The Science of Color presented by Kohler Co. staff members Jennifer Tarplee, Kate Revelis, Megan Doege and Megan Sprenger), computer science (Engage in Computers by Laura Lienau of Horizon Systems) and emergency medicine and nursing health care (Blood and Body Works by Aurora Regional EMS Community Educator Jean Zemke).

“We have a wonderful group of expert presenters, who are working in these STEM fields with many years of experience,” Olivier said. “We have middle school and high school teachers, professors, police officers, veterinarians, engineers, product managers, health care professionals, computer scientists and developers and business owners, who will be leading this year’s STEM sessions.

“The presenters are genuinely happy to teach these sessions and the girls are so eager to learn,” she said. “It is fun to witness all the excitement that these sessions generate. The best thing is that they are all hands-on too. The girls actually get to experience what it is like to do these types of careers. Three of the 10 sessions – Engage in Computers, Blood and Body Works and Sensory of Sausage – are new this year.”

Over the past six years, the AAUW of Sheboygan County Girls STEM Day event has granted area girls a rare opportunity to experience the wonderful world of STEM through various hands-on activities and learn directly from STEM field experts.

A young participant in the 2022 A Look Inside the Bovine Hide workshop session shared the following thoughts on her AAUW Sheboygan Branch Girls STEM Day experience.

“I never knew I could have so much fun cutting and opening a cow embryo,” she said. “This is an amazing event in a safe environment and you can really learn a ton. It was such a great experience.”

The registration fee is $10 per student, which includes instruction and supplies. Checks should be made out to AAUW Wisconsin Foundation.

The registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 27.

Sponsors for this year’s event include Bemis Manufacturing, Frank G. & Frieda K. Brotz Family Foundation, Fehr Graham, Feingold Family Foundation, Grover Family Foundation, Masters Gallery Foods, Richco Structures, Rockline Inc., Saco AEI Polymers and Sartori.

In-kind donors are JoAnn Gadicke, Johnston’s Bakery, Judy Hangartner, Laura Lienau, Marianne Comstock and Richard Linde, Masters Gallery Foods, Old Wisconsin Sausage Inc. and Z Spot Expresso & Coffee.

“We would like to thank the Sheboygan Recreation Department and Sheboygan South High School for being so great to work with the past two years and again this year,” Olivier said. “We are looking forward to having the Girls STEM Day event return to Sheboygan South High School on Saturday, November 4^th.”

Founded in 1881, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) advances equity by empowering women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.

The Sheboygan Branch of AAUW grants scholarships each year to non-traditional women students.

To register or for more information on the Girls STEM Day Conference, visit http://urezsignup.com/event/register.php?event_id=491123 or call Sheboygan Branch AAUW member and Girls STEM Day Conference Co-Chair Lori Bryne by phone at 920-458-9224 or contact AAUW member and Girls STEM Day Conference Co-Chair Allyson Olivier by email at allycat.olivier@sbcglobal.net.