"We need more women in STEM!", said Utah Governor Spencer Cox during his visit to SheTech on February 28th, 2023. More than 2,000 high school girls from grades 9th through 12th gathered to hear Governor Cox and to participate in a day-long event focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
The day began with a kickoff event and rotated through various workshops and the TechZone from 9:00 am to 11:30 am. The workshops covered a wide range of topics such as programming, engineering, aerospace, robotics, product invention, entrepreneurship, biomedicine, web development, digital marketing, e-commerce, user experience, gaming, esports, VR, and science in tech. The girls had the opportunity to attend more than 40 different workshop sessions and the TechZone, where they could explore new technologies and learn new skills.
After lunch, the girls participated in the TechChallenge, where they worked with industry mentors to create a solution for a real-world problem and compete with other teams for prizes. This provided an opportunity for the girls to work as a team, learn new skills, and apply what they had learned earlier in the day.
The event was designed to provide hands-on STEM exploration and expose girls to technology in a fun atmosphere. The ultimate goal was to inspire girls to consider careers in STEM and provide them with opportunities to learn more about the field, access internships, receive a SheTech certificate, and become part of a community that supports girls in STEM.
The event was attended by more than 150 teachers from schools around the state of Utah who brought their students to participate. The girls had the opportunity to meet female role models in tech careers and learn from industry visionaries. The event was hosted by the Women's Tech Council and supported by 30 tech companies, which demonstrated a wide variety of technologies to the girls. Tech companies included Ancestry, Clearlink, Dell, DOMO, Vivint, VMware, Entrata, Meta, Nuskin, and more.
The SheTech Explorer Day event was an incredible opportunity for girls to experience, innovate, and create while exploring the possibilities in tech. The event provided a platform for girls to learn new skills, gain exposure to STEM careers, and interact with industry professionals. By promoting women's representation in the STEM field, events like this will help to close the gender gap and create a more inclusive and diverse workforce.