Lab is co-sponsor for EYH
"You are the future of science and engineering. We need your energy. In fields dominated by men, we need women for the diversity and experiences they bring,” Laboratory scientist Emily Schultz-Fellenz of Environmental Geology and Spatial Analysis (EES-9) told a room full of teenage girls Wednesday at the Expanding Your Horizons conference.
More than 100 New Mexico girls came to the University of New Mexico, Los Alamos to learn about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The 29th annual Expanding Your Horizons conference and workshop is co-sponsored by the Laboratory, Los Alamos National Security, LLC, UNM-LA, and Los Alamos Women in Science.
The conference began with a bridge-building competition: students from the United States Air Force Academy discussed concepts related to building strong bridges. The girls were given a piece of balsa wood, two sticks, glue guns, and glue sticks, and were instructed to build a strong bridge with a length of 18 inches. The strongest bridge was able to hold 67.9 pounds before it collapsed.
The girls also attended workshops in the morning and in the afternoon. The workshops included
• "Shake it!" - A hands-on look at earthquake engineering.
• "Lights and Lasers" - Allowed the girls to learn about light and how it interacts with matter.
• "Tails of a Veterinarian" - Girls learned about animal biology and health and allowed them to practice sutures on stuffed animals.
• "Don’t Drink the Water!" - Provided information about environmental engineering and required the girls to create a water filter.
• "Aquifer in a Box" - How groundwater moves and how it is part of the water supply.
After lunch, Abigail Sussman spoke to the attendees about her experiences as a wilderness ranger, environmental educator, and writer. Sussman lives in Glacier, Washington and works on the flanks of the Mount Baker volcano.
The day ended with several demonstrations, including a snake exhibit by Tom Wyant of Network Engineering (CTN-5); a presentation from the Los Alamos bomb disposal unit; alka-seltzer rocket ships; and a robotics presentation.
