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 GĂłmez, 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

 
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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