OSU-Lima computer science and engineering associate professor Nicoleta Roman, left, introduces area female high school students to the world of computer programming during a STEM event Monday at the Lima campus.
Craig Kelly | The Lima News
LIMA — While inroads have been made in increasing female representation in fields related to science, technology, engineering and math, proponents of those efforts say more work needs to be done. On Monday, some of those efforts could be seen at a STEM event for female high school students held at the Ohio State University-Lima campus.
Now in its 10th year, this event brought together 50 participants representing Lima Central Catholic, Elida, Perry, Shawnee, Delphos St. John’s and St. Marys high schools. For Bryan Albright, OSU-Lima assistant dean of student success, this event is a valuable resource in helping to bring more women into STEM fields.
“We want them to get excited about STEM opportunities,” he said. “This morning, we had a keynote speaker from Lima Memorial, Dr. Susan Kaufman, and she talked about her experience in healthcare and her path into the healthcare field, which is a STEM field. We want to get the girls excited about knowing there are opportunities within STEM here locally. There are a lot.”
Along with the keynote address, participating students were able to experience labs in geology, chemistry, computer science and biology.
“After the lab activities during lunch, we have a current student panel with females that are current students here pursuing a STEM field,” Albright said. “So they get to hear from students closer to their own peer group.”
Perry sophomores Laila Woods and Kamorah Harris were not necessarily considering future careers in STEM when they arrived on campus, but they both appreciated the exposure to these different fields and said that encouraging future generations of women going into STEM is important.
“I feel like women don’t get enough opportunities in this type of field,” Woods said. “We can come up and be as good as men or even better.”
“Women definitely need to be more involved in these types of fields,” Harris said. “We’re very intelligent and we should be given the same opportunities as men.”
