Women in Science Conference Focuses on Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders in STEM

March 11, 2024
Women in Science Conference Focuses on Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders in STEM
Rapid City’s annual Women in Science Conference will take place on Tuesday, March 12 on the South Dakota Mines campus. The program is hosted by Youth in Science Rapid City, Inc., co-sponsored by Mines’ Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE), and funded by grants and community partners.  

An estimated 835 middle school girls will converge on the South Dakota Mines campus from 9 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12, for the annual Women in Science Conference. The keynote address will take place in the Goodell Gym while the exhibit hall will be in the Fraser Gym with other speakers spread across the Mines campus.

The immersion-based experience is designed to provide young women with engaging opportunities to learn about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

A wide range of STEM careers will be demonstrated by professional women leading interactive exhibits and discussions. Among the speakers are engineers, physicians, dentists, meteorologists, science educators, veterinarians, geologists and accountants.

Katrina Donovan, Ph.D., lecturer in the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at South Dakota Mines, will offer the keynote address.

Every 7th grade girl in the Rapid City Area School District will attend as well as girls from American Horse School, Custer, Douglas, Edgemont, EmpowerEd, Hermosa, Hill City, Hot Springs, Isna Wica Owayawa (Loneman), Kadoka, Little Wound, New Underwood, Our Lady of Lourdes, Red Cloud, St. Paul's, St. Thomas More, Wall and Wolf Creek Middle School as well as homeschooled students.  

The program is hosted by Youth in Science Rapid City, Inc. and co-sponsored by Mines' Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) program and funded by grants and community partners. Sponsors include: Platinum Level ($5,000+): Caterpillar; Gold Level ($1,000-$4,999): South Dakota Mines, Halliburton, Monument Health, South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, Coeur Wharf, Solitario Resources, Black Hills Energy, Microsoft Alumni Network; Silver Level ($500-$999): Black Hills Chapter South Dakota Engineering Society, Black Hills Community Bank, The Marina at Sheridan Lake, Midcontinent Testing Laboratories, RESPEC, Sanford Underground Research Facility, South Dakota Mines WiSE; Bronze Level (Up to $499): South Dakota Gives and with additional support from the Rushmore Hotel & Suites, The South Dakota Discovery Center and BankWest.