Girls in sixth through eighth grades are invited to explore science, technology, engineering and math during the Expanding Your Horizons career conference at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) on Oct. 25. The registration deadline has been extended to Oct. 17.

Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) is a career conference for girls in sixth through eighth grades, and it is designed to highlight the wonderful and interesting career possibilities that are available in science, technology, engineering and math. Numerous EYH conferences are held throughout the United States each year, and this will be the first conference in the Wabash Valley area.

The conference, which will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will include hands-on workshops led by professional women who are working in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Girls who register will get the chance to participate in two of the following workshops:

•    To Fun-Inity and Beyond - Experience hands-on fun with computers. Come and play; explore the inside of a computer, build a Lego “Thing”, IM each other on a DS Lite, or paint a picture with a Tablet PC. Taught by Lana Lytle, computer specialist, SMWC.

•    Healthy Horse, Happy Horse! - Students will assess the health and soundness of horses at the SMWC Equine Center. Topics covered will include taking vital signs and assessing lameness. These skills are required of anyone working in the field of horse care, from veterinarians to farriers to farm managers. Taught by Sara Schulz, equine science, SMWC.

•    Ecology: It’s In My Genes? - This workshop will teach you about the field of molecular ecology, which uses molecular biology techniques to answer questions about animal ecology, behavior, and conservation. All studies of molecular ecology begin with the extraction of DNA and you will learn how to do that technique and perform an extraction yourself. Taught by Elaina Tuttle, Ph.D., molecular biologist, Indiana State University.

•    The Beat of Your Heart - In this workshop you will become a blood cell and follow the path the blood takes through the heart picking up oxygen from the lungs and taking it to the tissues in the body. You will also listen to your heartbeats and take blood pressures at various points along the way. Taught by Jacqueline Holder, D.O., pediatrician, Associated Physicians and Surgeons Clinic.

•    Have Fun With Physics - Discover this branch of science, which answers almost all intriguing questions of the world that we see and do not see. Come prepared to learn and some basic principles behind telescopes and microscopes. Taught by Sudipa Kirtley, Ph.D., research physicist, Rose- Hulman Institute of Technology.

•    Roads to Success - This workshop will focus on the concepts and practices of highway engineering (and how to determine which bumpy road gets fixed first!) You will also have the opportunity to participate in a Build a Better Bridge Challenge! Taught by Jeannie Bland, civil engineer, Illinois Department of Transportation.

•    Chemistry Sudoko - Participants will perform chemical reactions in test tubes and observe the reactivity of chemicals through exciting changes involving energy and color. Using their observations, participants will act as scientists to solve a puzzle! Taught by Rebecca DeVasher, Ph.D., research chemist, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

•    Explosive Popfly Programming - Interactively learn the basics of computer programming with a fun and easy game. See who can catch the moving object on the screen and make it explode! Taught by Maggie Mullins, IT specialist, AIT Laboratories.

•    Naturific - This workshop will emphasize how exciting and interactive teaching ecology and natural science can be with the use of interpretive centers and educational programs. Learn how you can help spread the word and teach others about preserving our planet. Taught by Candace Hack, environmental educator, White Violet Center.

•    When “Meow” or “Woof” Means “Ouch, that hurts!” - How do doctors treat patients who can’t tell them in words what is wrong? In this workshop find out what a typical day is like for a vet, and have a chance to evaluate some furry patients! Taught by Nancy Schenck, D.V.M, veterinarian, Petcare Animal Hospital.

A separate program for parents and adults will run concurrently with the girls’ workshops. During the “Motivation Breakthrough” session, parents and adults will learn how to encourage their daughters or students to remain interested in math and science and motivate them to pursue their careers of interest. This session will also help parents understand why they need to be supportive of their children's choice and how to help them achieve their goals. The session will be led by Alexandra Kanellis, Ph.D., assistant professor of education at SMWC.

The second parent/adult session, titled “Investing in your daughter’s future,” will be led by Dottie King, Ph.D., SMWC assistant dean of the campus program and associate professor of mathematics, and Jacki Switzer, SMWC director of financial aid. King and Switzer will share some information from recent studies regarding the importance of math and science, especially for women, and initiatives and strategies that are being developed by the state and federal governments. Parents will also learn why it may be important for them to begin thinking about financing their daughter’s education.

Cost to register for the conference is $15, and the registration fee includes lunch and a t-shirt. If a student and a parent wish to register, the cost is $15 per person and two separate registrations must be submitted. Online registration for the conference is available now at eyh.smwc.edu, and a PDF of the registration form is also available online. For more information about the Expanding Your Horizons conference, contact Janet Clark, Ph.D., jclark@smwc.edu or 812-535-5295, or Anneliese Payne, Ph.D., 812-535-5183 or apayne@smwc.edu. More information about the Expanding Your Horizons network can be found at www.expandingyourhorizons.org.

The Sciences and Mathematics Department at SMWC offers majors in biology, life sciences education, medical technology, pre-professional studies (pre-dental, pre-med and pre-vet), mathematics and mathematics education. The College also offers minors in biology, chemistry, environmental sciences and mathematics. In these programs, innovative teaching methods, a collaborative learning atmosphere, pedagogically sound laboratory curricula, computer-based experiments/activities and opportunities for undergraduate research present students with an inspiring and experiential learning environment.

For more information about the science and mathematics programs at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, contact the SMWC Office of Admission by email at smwcadms@smwc.edu or by phone at 812-535-5106 or 1-800-926-SMWC.