The annual Women in Science & Engineering (WISE) Forum brings together high school and college students who identify as girls and who are interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math (STEAM) with accomplished women-identifying professionals in STEAM fields, ranging from academia and healthcare to design engineering and space exploration.
The first half of the evening consists of a Networking & Mentoring Reception where attendees are invited to connect. This is an opportunity for high school students who identify as girls to talk one-on-one with and receive advice from women-identifying professionals and college students.
Following the reception is a Distinguished Leader Panel Discussion, open to all genders. We encourage everyone who allies with girls and women in STEAM to attend. The panel features four distinguished women in STEAM who share their perspectives on working in STEAM fields. Hear about the opportunities and challenges they have faced while pursuing careers dominated by men.
Past panelists: executives from DuPont Company; IBM; Mack Trucks; Mars Inc.; Merck; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; and Sanofi.
Our WISE Initiative and Forum is not just for those who identify as women or girls. Check out some frequently asked questions below to learn why you should get involved and how to participate.
Absolutely not! While the primary goal of the WISE Initiative is to create a supportive community of women employed in STEM fields and encourage girls who aspire to follow a STEAM career path, all genders can benefit from hearing the stories and experiences shared in the WISE Forum.
While the Networking & Mentoring Reception is reserved for those who identify as women or girls, the Distinguished Leader Panel Discussion is open to all genders, and we encourage everyone who allies with girls and women in STEAM to attend.
It’s not only women and girls who need to be informed of the challenges unique to their gender in STEAM careers. Because all genders have a role in creating barriers to an equitable workforce, everyone must learn and improve together to create meaningful change.
Other communities are also underrepresented in STEAM fields. While this event is specific to women’s experiences, many discussions and strategies for enacting change also apply to similar challenges faced by other groups, such as people of color and the LGBTQ+ community.
Many WISE participants also share how other aspects of their identity, in addition to their gender, shape their experiences in the workplace and school.
Listening to the personal experiences of panelists, mentors, and students will give you additional perspective on the challenges women and girls encounter. Some stories may be surprising or unexpected and may help you reflect on your personal contribution to an equitable workplace and learning environment. Hearing about these experiences can help you to enact change and become an even better ally and advocate for women in STEAM careers.
Location:
Americus Hotel
555 Hamilton St.
Allentown, PA 18101
5:15 p.m. – Registration Opens
5:30 – 6:20 p.m. – Networking and Mentoring Reception
6:15 p.m. – Those who wish to attend only the Panel Discussion arrive
6:30 – 7:30 p.m. – Distinguished STEAM Leader Panel Discussion This portion of the evening is open to anyone in the community who wishes to attend. Please RSVP at the Registration link above.7:30 – 8 p.m. – Audience Q&A
Valet Parking is provided by the Americus Hotel at $15 per car.
In addition, there is metered street parking available and there are several parking garages within walking distance of the hotel.
Community Parking Deck, 13 South 6th Street , 177ft/1 Min. WalkArtsWalk Parking Deck, 612 Linden Street, 0.1 mile/2 Min. WalkPPL Center Parking Deck, 720 Linden Street, 0.3 miles/6 Min. WalkSpiral Parking Deck, 836 Linden Street, 0.3 miles/8 Min. Walk8th and Walnut Deck, 777 Walnut Street, 0.3 miles/ 7 Min. Walk
Yes. Even if you would just like to attend the Distinguished STEAM Leader Panel Discussion, please RSVP at the registration link provided. There is no cost to register or attend.
Jamilah is a board-certified nurse practitioner that is currently employed full-time at Lehigh Valley Hospital on the inpatient psychiatric unit. She is a wife, proud mother of two beautiful girls, and eldest of six siblings.
Johnette Johnson is a Global Marketing Director, COVID / New Diagnostics at OraSure Technologies, Inc. Headquartered in the Lehigh Valley, OraSure is a leader in point-of-care and home diagnostic tests, specimen collection devices, and microbiome laboratory and analytical services. Johnette has over 20 years of experience in the diagnostics and pharmaceutical industries, previously working at Quest Diagnostics and Johnson & Johnson. She has been a marketing leader at the forefront of COVID-19 testing throughout the pandemic.
Cheryl Knobloch is an engineer, a higher education practitioner, and STEAM change agent. As senior director of the Penn State Women in Engineering Program since 2002, Cheryl champions engineering equity, inclusion and allyship for precollege, undergraduate, graduate students and alumnae. She also teaches undergraduate first-year mechanical engineering courses and advises the nationally award-winning student chapter of Society of Women Engineers. Cheryl is an invited external evaluator for National Science Foundation (NSF) engineering mentoring initiatives and was appointed as an expert reviewer on the 2022 NSF Committee of Visitors for the Directorate of Engineering.
Carolina Rodríguez Plaza is a journalist, news, and multimedia content producer. She covers a wide range of topics including science, and the environment for WUVP- Univision 65 Philadelphia. Carolina has worked on a variety of projects during her 15 years plus career, which include special coverage in Haiti, Ecuador, and her homeland; Puerto Rico, among others.
School and community groups are encouraged to carpool and assist students with transportation. Funding is available to assist schools and community groups with transportation expenses to attend the WISE Forum. For more information, contact patricia.pietrobon@nulldavincisciencecenter.org.
Contact: Patricia J. Pietrobon, Ph.D., STEAM Educator and WISE Program Coordinator
P: 484.664.1002
D: 3145 Hamilton Blvd. Bypass, Allentown, PA 18103
H: Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 12-5 p.m.
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