More than 200 area high school sophomore and junior students attended Kent State University at Trumbull’s STEM Trumbull County (STEM TC) conference on Friday, March 17, where they met and heard from women in science, technology, engineering and math careers, while learning about education programs that support those paths.
According to Dr. Valerie Cubon-Bell, Kent State Trumbull’s STEM TC director and professor of chemistry, more than 30 speakers volunteered for this year’s all-day conference.
“The conference is a long-standing tradition that offers high school students in Trumbull and surrounding counties the opportunity to explore exciting career pathways in STEM fields while also interacting with local, successful women in high-impact STEM professions,” Cubon-Bell said.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Peggy Shadduck, vice president for Regional Campuses and dean of the College of Applied and Technical Studies, began the event by sharing her experiences in STEM fields before exploring public administration to complement her science background, leading to administrative roles in higher education.
Ilenys Marcano, an East High School junior, enjoyed the conference, especially a workshop on neuroscience.
“Listening to Dr. (Clare) Mathes (chair of the neuroscience department at Baldwin Wallace University) talk about all the aspects of neuroscience, examining the brain, and how it works was so interesting,” Marcano said.
A panel of current students pursuing STEM undergraduate and post-undergraduate degrees shared their experiences and motivation for the future.
Bristol and Trumbull Career and Technical Center graduate Jasmine Hickey participated on the student panel and gave closing remarks. She shared her experiences as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing student at Kent State Trumbull before graduating in 2020. She now works at Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley hospital as a registered nurse and continues her education at Walsh University, pursuing a Master of Occupational Therapy degree.
“I attended this event and sat in the same seats back in 2016,” Hickey said. “I had some experiences that led me to where I am today, but this event really opened up some pathways for me and helped me understand the many opportunities in STEM.”
Jennifer Clark, who manages Intel-Ohio’s Production Department, ended the conference by talking about Intel’s recent move to Ohio and the many new job opportunities that will develop over the next few years.
“We hope the conference is enlightening, entertaining and inspiring,” Cubon-Bell said. “We expect every one of these students to take advantage of the opportunities around them and follow their dreams as they consider future careers in STEM.”
