FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 16, 2018

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phil West, Orange Cone Agency
512.769.3838, phil.west@orangeconeagency.com

GIRLSTART TO HOST ANNUAL GIRLS IN STEM CONFERENCE IN AUSTIN, ALLOWING MORE THAN 500 GIRLS TO MEET AND LEARN FROM STEM PROFESSIONALS, SATURDAY, MARCH 24

Girlstart, the non-profit organization dedicated to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education for girls, is bringing the Girls in STEM Conference, one of its most important programs, back to Austin on Saturday, March 24th at Travis High School (1211 E. Oltorf).

The 13th annual edition of the event provides more than 500 4th through 8th grade girls the opportunity to meet and learn from a variety of women who work as STEM professionals throughout Central Texas.

“Girlstart’s mission is not just about teaching girls to love STEM,” said Tamara Hudgins, executive director for the organization. “It’s to show them what’s possible when they get to college, study in STEM fields, and graduate to STEM careers. Central Texas has a number of amazing women who solve problems and continually move our understanding of the world forward. This program lets girls learn from those amazing women firsthand.”

The girls will all participate in an opening workshop activity building a prototype with their groups, and then will attend sessions led by female STEM professionals from a range of leading STEM companies and institutions for hands-on STEM workshops. These include Acxiom, College of Menimonee Nation, DPR Constrction, Forcepoint, Luminex, Microsoft, MilliporeSigma, and SAS Institute. MilliporeSigma will be bring its Curiosity Cube, a retrofitted shipping container transformed into a mobile science lab, coming to Austin as part of a nationwide 2018 tour.

Individual girls, as well as groups affiliated with schools, maker cohort, or other organizations, can get additional information and register online at:

http://girlstart.org/our-programs/girls-in-stem-conference/

ABOUT GIRLSTART
Girlstart is specifically dedicated to empowering and equipping girls in STEM. We provide programming that promotes girls’ early engagement and academic success in STEM, encourages girls’ aspirations and persistence in STEM education and careers, and incubates a talented and diverse STEM workforce. Its innovative, nationally-recognized programs include after-school and summer camps for students, professional development for teachers, and community and online STEM education outreach programs. Girlstart cultivates a culture where risk is rewarded, curiosity is encouraged, and creativity is expected. As a result, Girlstart girls are connected, brave, and resilient. Girlstart makes girls more successful and inspires them to take on the world’s greatest challenges. Founded in 1997 in Central Texas, Girlstart has provided its high-quality programs across Texas and in eight other states. Now, Girlstart’s year-round programming has successfully scaled to Houston and North Texas, and is expanding to Boston and the Bay Area.

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