UK Happenings

Girls Are Invited to Discover the Fun Behind STEM at GEMS

Photo of girls at GEMS.
The day is full of hands-on workshops, most facilitated by women mentors.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 4, 2017)  Girls from across Kentucky can explore their interests in science and meet women in STEM careers at GEMS — Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science — on Saturday, Nov. 11, at the University of Kentucky.

“GEMS is an unique opportunity to introduce and empower girls to become more interested in STEM-related fields through interactive learning experiences,” said GEMS organizers Vicki Cooper, of UK, and Katie Justice, of the Girls Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road Council.

At the one-day event, girls discover the fun behind science, technology, engineering and math. The day is full of hands-on workshops on careers in science, the scientific method, science in daily life and the connection between math and science. Most workshops are facilitated by women mentors.

The event takes place at the Singletary Center for the Arts and UK College of Engineering facilities from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Nov. 11. The tentative schedule can be found at www.engr.uky.edu/gems/.  

GEMS is a collaboration between UK and the Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road Council. The event's popularity has grown in recent years, reaching 350 participants with many others wanting to attend. This year, organizers have expanded the program with new space accommodations and girls no longer need to be in Girl Scouts to attend. The event is open to all 4th through 12th grade girls. 

Girls must be registered by Friday, Oct. 20. The cost to attend is $10 for Girl Scouts and $15 for non-Girl Scouts. More information on registration is available here.

Parents are also invited to attend the new parent workshops. The workshops, led by UK administrators and a panel of UK students with STEM majors, will focus on "preparing your daughter for high school and college." GEMS will also offer campus and residence hall tours to parents.

To find out more about GEMS, visit www.engr.uky.edu/gems/.