SANTA FE — More than 100 middle-school girls explored college and career options in science, technology, engineering and math during the fourth annual GEAR UP New Mexico and STEM Santa Fe Girls STEM Pathways Conference on March 6 and 7.
The conference in Albuquerque brought together students from across the state for interactive STEM workshops, covering topics from chemistry and computer science to coding and robotics.
GEAR UP New Mexico, a division of the New Mexico Higher Education Department, is a federally funded program aiming to increase access to resources for college and career readiness for students in grades seven through 12. GEAR UP partners with middle and high schools in eight districts across New Mexico serving high proportions of rural and first-generation students.
“Being a part of the GEAR UP New Mexico and STEM Santa Fe Girls STEM Pathways Conference was such an honor,” MAD-learn CEO Alefiya Master said. “It’s so important for girls, especially minorities, to be given opportunities to explore so many different fields of study. The work GEAR UP New Mexico does to inspire the next generation of innovators and leaders in STEM is so important. It was an absolute pleasure to work together.”
Master is the Founder and CEO of the award-winning app development program, MAD-learn. She has founded and grown two EdTech companies which serve more than 80,000 students in 30 states and five countries and strives to expand education in workforce development.
Dr. Aragon directs the Human-Centered Data Science Lab at the University of Washington. She has received awards for her research and a stint designing software for NASA, worked with Nobel Prize winners and is a co-founder for Latinas in Computing.
To kick off the event, students participated in an interactive college and career fair including New Mexico higher education institutions and hands-on activities to explore different STEM paths, such as learning how to become a fire ecology explorer to assist with New Mexico wildfires.
"Putting together this event for middle-school girls who are exploring their interests and developing their skills within STEM is truly inspiring," Dr. Corine Frankland, GEAR UP New Mexico Director, said. "The event provided workshops, mentorships, and true leaders from women professionals in their communities. These middle-school girls had a great time exploring STEM with their friends and are ready to innovate and lead in the dynamic landscape of the sciences and future technologies."
"STEM Santa Fe is honored to continue our partnership with GEAR UP NM through the Girls STEM Pathways Conference,” said Leanna McClure, STEM Santa Fe Executive Director. “As an Indigenous woman, I wasn’t always encouraged to pursue science or math but helping girls - especially those from underrepresented communities - see themselves reflected in STEM professionals reinforces the importance of our work. This conference provides a joyful, hands-on learning environment where girls can build confidence, connect with peers, and envision themselves as future STEM leaders.’"
Photos from the conference are available via GEAR UP New Mexico’s Facebook page and Instagram page.
For more information about GEAR UP, visit gearupnewmexico.org, or follow GEAR UP New Mexico on Facebook and Instagram.