AM Keynote Speaker:
Alexis Staniec
Meteorologist – Storm Team 5
“ Not Just a Weather Girl“
Born and raised in Ewing, New Jersey, Alexis became fascinated with the weather when she was young. Growing up, she performed as the lead in multiple musicals, where she learned she loved being in the spotlight. Furthermore, having two parents in STEM, Alexis was pushed to discover she was gifted in the science and mathematics fields. In 2008, Superstorm Sandy hit home for Alexis, sparking her interest in the weather, and putting all the factors together, broadcast meteorology was the perfect career path for her.
Alexis graduated from Millersville University of Pennsylvania in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology and minors in Mathematics and Media Arts Production. During her time in college, Alexis was an active member of many meteorology clubs, such as the American Meteorological Society, Weather Watch, Campus Weather Service, and so much more. She interned with the North Dakota Atmospheric Resource Board/Weather Modification International as a meteorologist as well as interning for the National Weather Service. In 2022, Alexis accepted a position as Storm Team 5’s newest meteorologist. She is most excited to learn from and work alongside such credible meteorologists who continue to help mentor her as she begins her career.
~ Tech Savvy and Girl Savvy Workshops for 2024~
Workshop Start & end times:
Workshop 1 9-9:50 am
Workshop 2 10-10:50 am
Workshop 3 11-11:50 am
Check availability when you are registering.
Register early for the best chance to attend your preferred workshop!
Tech Savvy STEM Workshop Sessions – Morning
First year girls: Choose Two STEM Morning Workshops and College Savvy
College Savvy – Required for First Year Attendees
(If you are attending with a parent, sign up for the same time slot they do.)
Investigate colleges and university programs that mesh with your STEM career goals. Complete a mock college application and interview with a College Recruiter. You will also go on a Scavenger Hunt to learn more about what each school has to offer.
Returning Girls: Choose Three STEM Morning Workshops
CSI-Crime Scene Adventure
Step under the yellow police tape to learn how to find, collect, and analyze the evidence to help crack a case!
Genes in a Bottle
Come capture your genetic essence in a bottle! In this session, you will extract genomic deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA) from your cheek cells and watch it precipitate from the solution as floating white strands. Your very own DNA will be collected and transferred to a helix-shaped necklace that you can take home.
Ethical Hacking with HBS (Heartland Business Systems)
Join this session to learn about ethical hacking including password decryption and simple SQL injection tactics. Get hands-on experience from leaders working in the field.
Drug Discovery: How New Medicines are Made (Atlas Science Center)
How long does it take for a medicine to be developed? Participants discover how scientists find new drugs to help cure diseases and will ‘screen’ a medicinal library and take hits through phases of a clinical trial. Biochemistry, math, and technology all meet so girls can learn this incredible process!
Use Science to Get Creative with Lip Balm
Learn how to make our very own compounded ‘medication’ while exploring the inside secrets of the pharmacy world. We will discover how to assist our neighbors and how to influence healthcare.
Build Your Own LED Flashlight! (Oshkosh Corporation)
Ever wanted to know how the inside of a flashlight works? Here’s your chance! We will be learning about the flow of electricity through simple circuits while soldering and assembling a flashlight to take home.
Designing Intersections to Save Lives.
Have you ever wondered how safe the roadways and intersections you drive are? Did you know that engineers can predict what roadways are at higher risk than others for severe crashes? Come find out more about how transportation engineers identify those risks and design roadways so you, your family, and your friends can get home safely every day!
Baby, Now We’ve Got Bad Blood
Are you interested in medicine or biology? Want to know what it’s like to work in a laboratory? Do you like Taylor Swift? Come learn about the work and education of Medical Laboratory Scientists. You can even test your own blood (just a drop-don’t worry!) like we do in hospitals to discover your blood type while listening to some T-Swift!
Brush Bots (Plexus)
In the brush bots activity, students will make their own robot by setting up a motor attached to a scrub brush. Students will get to learn about simple circuits as they set up the motor. We will also discuss the vibrational mechanics that cause the robot to move the way it does.
Girl Savvy Skills Workshop Sessions – Afternoon
Workshop Start & end times:
Workshop 1 12:40-1:10 pm
Workshop 2 1:15-1:45 pm
Workshop 3 1:50-2:25 pm
First year girls: Must choose It All Adds Up! and two sessions of your choice.
It All Adds Up! (Junior Achievement of Wisconsin)
For students who are NEW to Tech Savvy (available all 3 sessions)
Learn how to budget based on income. As a student, thinking about how money is earned and where it is spent may not always be a priority. Once a job is secured and work in a profession begins, we need to know how to plan for an income and how to reasonably spend the money earned. During this session, you will find out how “It All Adds Up!”
Exploring Math Careers
Learn important information for students who are interested in preparing for a STEM career.
Jungle Escape
Come with us on an imaginative adventure. Your team has crash landed in a remote jungle. A team of engineers must build an escape helicopter using the spare parts (Kinex) you were transporting. Can you work together as a team and beat the monsoon?
Seeing Yourself in the Future (available all 3 sessions)
This is a panel discussion with women working in STEM careers.
Issues in STEM
Appleton North’s Women in STEM Club presentation will discuss the factors to consider when looking into STEM careers.
My STEM Journey
An AAUW scholarship winner will be talking about her journey tracing her interest in STEM through college and getting her first engineering job!
Stress Management and Effective Coping
In this mental health-focused workshop, we will explore different skills to promote effective stress management, coping and resiliency.
Star Power, Self-Talk, & Finding Balance
Walk away from this experience not only with a deeper understanding of how to ignite your self-confidence, but also with skills that will serve you personally and professionally in the future. We cover 3 topics including Star Power, which is all about recognizing self-confidence and celebrating the qualities that make you unique, self-talk, and how you can develop a practice of positive self-talk, and finally, we’ll do an exercise about finding balance, which will connect back to the concept of Star Power.
PM Keynote Speaker:
Hilary Isebrands
Roadway Safety Engineer with the FHWA Resource Center-
National Safety and Design Team
“The Road Less Traveled”
The roadmap to a meaningful and successful career in STEM oftentimes is not one that can be completely planned – even for those of us who are considered planners. Hillary Isebrands’ career path began in a traditional fashion as a civil engineer, however, six years into her professional career she took a detour that has shaped her as a transportation professional and as a person. She firmly believes that it is just as important to know what you do not want to do as it is to know what you want to do in your career. Hillary will share her journey as an engineer, teacher, researcher, and mother of two children that includes resiliency, lessons learned, and navigating ways to be fulfilled in her STEM career as well as in her personal life.
Girls’ Schedule for the Day:
| 7:30 am-8:30 am | Check-in and Breakfast |
| 8:30-9:00 | Welcome & AM Keynote Speaker w/adults |
| 9:00-9:50 | Workshop 1 or College Savvy |
| 10:00-10:50 | Workshop 2 or College Savvy |
| 11:00-11:50 | Workshop 3 or College Savvy |
| 12:00-12:40 pm | Lunch w/adults |
| 12:40 – 1:10 | Girl Savvy Skills Workshops |
| 1:15 – 1:45 | Girl Savvy Skills Workshops |
| 1:50 – 2:25 | Girl Savvy Skills Workshops |
| 2:30-3:00 | Keynote Speaker w/adults |
| 3:00-3:30 | Closing Ceremony w/adults |