More than 170 sophomore high school girls will visit The University of Toledo Thursday, May 12 when prominent female scientists and engineers across the region will introduce them to the exciting world of science and technology careers through hands-on experiments and demonstrations.

The seventh annual Women in STEMM Day of Meetings, which goes by the acronym WISDOM, will take place from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. on UT’s Main Campus and Health Science Campus.

UT faculty and professionals at Dana Corporation and Marathon Petroleum Corporation will help inspire a passion for science careers by exploring the tools of the trade.

The girls will perform experiments in a number of areas, including physics and astronomy, chemistry, biology, engineering, pharmacy and medicine.

Activities for students include building solar cells, making liquid nitrogen ice cream, swabbing their cheeks for a DNA sample, constructing model airplanes, interacting with robots through computer programming and whipping up a sugar scrub for their feet and hands (see schedule below).

“Helping young women stay interested in STEMM and pursue a job in a field with low unemployment is one of the best things we can do for our region,” said Edith Kippenhan, senior lecturer in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and president of the Northwestern Ohio Chapter of the Association for Women in Science. “For every STEMM graduate there are four jobs waiting.  For every non-STEMM job opening, there are two applicants. It is our hope this fun visit to UT will help students discover there is a supportive network ready to receive them and help turn their dreams into reality.”

Students from Toledo Public, Washington Local and Oregon Schools, as well as from the Toledo Islamic Academy and Wildwood Environmental Academy, will participate in WISDOM at the University.

The event is hosted by the Northwestern Ohio Chapter of the Association for Women in Science.  Sponsors include Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Columbia Gas, Spartan Chemical Company, Dana Corporation, Toledo Chapter of the American Chemical Society, the Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women and the UT Colleges of Engineering, Medicine and Life Sciences, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Photo/video opportunities include:

• Building solar cells: 9 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. in Student Union Room 3016 on UT’s Main Campus;
• Making liquid nitrogen ice cream: 9 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. in Student Union Auditorium on UT’s Main Campus;
• Making model airplanes: 10:25 a.m. in Brady Engineering Innovation Center on UT’s Main Campus;
• DNA sampling: 9 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. in Student Union Room 3018 on UT’s Main Campus; and
• Making sugar scrub for hands and feet: 9:10 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. in Health Education Building Room 019 on UT’s Health Science Campus.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (May 10, 2016)

Tags: College of Engineering, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences