WHAT: Imagine STEM! Conference and Celebration Dinner

WHO: Adult volunteers and community partners needed!

WHEN: May 28-30; 8:00-5:00 pm | Closing Celebration Dinner, May 30, 5:00-7:00 pm

WHERE: Douglas High School | 1500 E. 15th Street | Douglas, AZ

The Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona (GSSoAZ) are empowering girls to pursue a future in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) at “Imagine STEM!” in Douglas, AZ sponsored by APS. GSSoAZ is seeking adult volunteers and potential community partners to help facilitate this event on Tuesday through Thursday, May 28-30, 2013. Girls ages 8-13 will be present for the three day conference at Douglas High School to explore the exciting world of STEM through fun, hands-on projects.

“Our goal is to inspire and encourage as many girls as possible to pursue a future in STEM studies,” said Debbie Rich, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona. “Currently females only represent 24 percent of the STEM workforce, a small percentage that we hope to increase in the future,” said Rich.

During the conference, GSSOAZ hopes that girls will have the opportunity to spend the day working with professionals in their field. Professionals in careers such as education, engineering and science are encouraged to volunteer at Imagine STEM. “This conference can open the door for many new opportunities for my daughter and her fellow Girl Scout troop members,” said Treshia Middleton, Girl Scout Junior Troop 902 leader. “I’m sure they will leave the conference with new interests and dreams for their future,” said Middleton.

Parents will also have a chance to participate in

the conference. There will be a family night celebration dinner where parents will learn how to support their daughters as they pursue an education in STEM. Participation is free and will include lunch and snacks. For more information or to volunteer with Imagine STEM, contact Liz Baker at 520.319.3169 or lbaker@girlscoutssoaz.org

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The Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona Girl Scouts is the world’s preeminent leadership development organization dedicated to helping build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. GSSoAz serves over 14,000 girls in Southern Arizona and includes over 3,000 adult volunteers. Our goals are to provide a wide range of contemporary programs that reflect the unique needs and interests of all girls living in Southern Arizona, to empower girls to reach their full potential, and to give girls a voice in their community and in their own lives. For more information, please contact Veronica Ohl at (520) 319-3152.

Young scientists find advantages to pursuing related problems — sometimes for years on end

By Susan Gaidos |  April 7, 2013 | Originally posted here

Coming up with a cool science fair project takes effort. You have to work hard at finding a topic you like and a question you want to explore.

Science fair projects also take time. Many kids easily can spend weeks following an organized set of steps in answering a question — an approach called the scientific method. Other kids can spend even longer perfecting their projects. They may pursue a project for years.

Sure, these are often the whiz kids who dazzle judges and win big awards. But it could be you as well.  And the benefits from sticking with some research theme for a year or more go well beyond gaining the knowledge to potentially wow teachers and science fair judges. Teens who carry out long-term research projects also gain a life lesson in curiosity, discipline and resilience. These are traits shared by most successful scientists.

Sound scary? It may be easier than you think.

The students (and former

students) profiled here have all worked on long-term projects. The tips they offer suggest how you can get started — and why to keep going.

What do you want to know?

Getting started should be the easy part — just follow your curiosity. It can take you all kinds of places. Elizabeth Baker, of Tucson, Ariz., was always curious about insects and other animals. Even in grade school, Liz was on the lookout for different critters. She would tramp through habitats moist and dry, just to explore what was there.

Sometimes, she headed to the local zoo, but not just to observe the animals. She also liked to watch how people responded to the animals. Many would clap, laugh or engage in other antics, just to get some creature’s attention.

That gave Liz an idea for her sixth-grade science fair project. She would test which was bigger: the effect people have on animals’ behavior, or how much animals affect the actions of people? For weeks, Liz spent every weekend at the zoo. She watched how apes, lions and giraffes acted when people were around. She also noted how zoo visitors related to the animals. Her early polling data showed the animals were winning: They had a bigger effect on people than the other way around.

In eighth grade, Liz expanded on this theme. But this time, she focused on gibbons, a type of ape. Liz wanted to see how each gibbon interacted both with zoo visitors and other apes of its species. During each visit, Liz wore the same outfit. Soon, the gibbons recognized the teen and relaxed in her presence. She also visited at different times, on the lookout for behaviors that may vary based on the time of day.

Watching patiently, Liz came to appreciate the complex ways apes and humans interact. In fact, throughout high school, Liz developed science projects focusing on animals or people. Each year, her projects won awards at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF). It’s the world’s largest high school science competition.

Later, as a college student, Liz continued studying animals and people. And just last year, Liz — now 24 years old — got a chance to join the scientific team working with one of the world’s most famous apes, Koko. This gorilla communicates with people using American Sign Language.

Today, Liz works for the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona. Her job is to encourage young women to consider exciting careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Read more here >>