Texas Women and Girls in STEM Summit
Breakout Session 4
2:30 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.
 

Community Support: The Foundation for Leading and Learning

In this panel discussion, we will address the importance of building a community that works together in order to engage our students in the learning process and to support our educators. We have experienced the benefits of having individuals who work to enrich our students' minds, but have also experienced the effects of not having this type of support. The school boards and school administration are pivotal when it comes to supporting those who do not work for their districts. Outside organizations also need to do their part in supporting the schools in every way that they possibly can. Here, we will discuss ways that outside organizations can support our educators directly and indirectly, and help to encourage all teachers in their current role.

Presented by:
Deyanira Salazar, Math Specialist/Business Owner, Math Rocks!
Andrea Herrera Moreno, Program Coordinator, Women in Engineering Program, The University of Texas at Austin
Brooke Turner, Co-Founder & CMO, Kwaddle
Jennifer Zamora, Kindergarten Teacher, Dalton Elementary, Uvalde CISD

Mouse: A Solution that Scales

The demand for STEM is growing but all youth are not being empowered to participate. Mouse, which recently merged with Code/Interactive, is a national nonprofit that empowers all youth and educators to engage with computer science and creative technology to make meaningful change in our world. With a commitment to fostering greater equity, diversity, and humanity in STEM, we bring together the people, programs and platforms necessary to meet the full range of creative computing needs. By equipping educators with the skills and resources to teach STEM, Mouse is amplifying the impact to develop relevant business and life skills for students across the country.

Presented by:
Cristina Garza, Mission Economic Development Corporation
Julia Barraford-Temel, Learning Design Director, Network Success, Mouse

My STEM Career Path

Join us for a panel with female leaders in STEM, discussing their career paths, obstacles to success and advice for others. The panel will include a diverse group, differing in age, background and role. Panelists will answer predetermined questions and then open for questions from the audience.

Presented by:
Wendy Howell, Chief of Staff - Services, Cisco
Tamra Kerns, Vice President, Global Services, National Instruments
Oksana Malysheva, Managing Partner & CEO, Sputnik ATX
Brooke Myers, STEM Asst. Executive, STEM Scouts | Marketing, Lean In ATX
Julia Lamorelle, CEO & Co-Founder, Kiwi Compute (Moderator)

Research Experience for Teachers (RET): Leading the Way to Implementing Engineering-based Classroom Lessons

The session will include a presentation of the RET professional development activities designed to support teachers' implementation of a lesson module that translates their summer research to their mathematics/science classrooms. At least one teacher will be demonstrating their lesson designs and implementation strategies that were developed from their summer experiences.

Presentation

Presented by:
Risa Hartman, Pre-College Education Director for NASCENT ERC & Education/Outreach Director for CDCM MRSEC, The University of Texas at Austin
Darlene Yanez, Director of Assessment & Evaluation for the NASCENT ERC, The University of Texas at Austin
Kimberly Collins, Teacher and past RET participant, Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders
Melissa Saldaña, Teacher and past RET participant, Caldwell Heights Elementary
Stephanie Valenzuela, UT Chemistry Graduate Student and RET mentor, The University of Texas at Austin

The Importance of Soft Skills in a High Tech World

Let's discuss why teaching soft skills is just as important for student development as teaching the traditional, quantifiable skills currently being emphasized. It is all too common to hear people preach the importance of math, science, and coding in this increasingly technological world. What you don't hear about is the equal importance of learning soft skills - skills that are not easy to quantify, like kindness, ethics, empathy, leadership, perseverance, resilience, etc. These soft skills need to be developed early and often, Pre-K through 12 and beyond. The soft skills are how we promote an inclusive, diverse environment where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and empowered to make a difference.

Presented by: Brittany Hicks, Founder and CEO, Bright Angle LLC

Women’s Affinity Groups in Corporations: Best Practices & Lessons Learned

Women’s affinity groups take on many different forms and practices across industry, with benefits including career development, support, networking, and community for women in technology and beyond. Join this panel discussion to hear from industry leaders at corporations running thriving women’s organizations and learn about what practices have been conducive to their success.

Presented by:
Siobhan Burch, HomeAway
CJ Harris, Talent Acquisition & Organization Development Manager, Luminex Corporation
Camilla Levario, Business Process & Analytics Project Manager, Applied Materials
Christine Luo, Indeed
Rachelle McWright, Social Media Community Manager, Emerson Automation Solutions
Madeline Vega,  STSM - IBM Cognitive Systems Development (Moderator)

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