Teen conference focuses on diversifying STEM field
Nicole Murphy has wanted to be a veterinary surgeon since she was 4.
While many young people change their career paths, Murphy, now 17, still wants to help animals and takes every opportunity to learn more about it and the science, technology, engineering and math ( STEM) field that she can.
That’s how Murphy ended up at the Illinois Institute of Technology on Tuesday for the Teen Conservation Leadership Conference.
Sitting close in the front, Murphy actively took notes and approached panelists and speakers after the sessions she attended to learn more.
“There’s not a lot of women in STEM, but it’s not ( a field) that’s going to disappear,” said Murphy, who will be a senior at South Shore International College Preparatory High School in the fall.
In its second year, the three- day conference, hosted by the Chicago Zoological Society, brought in 250 students from around 100 high schools across Chicago who are all interested in STEM studies.
Keynote speaker Susan Korn, vice president of nuclear project management at Exelon Generation, told students to find what motivates them.
Luis Mendez, manager of high school and college outreach programs for the zoological society and Brookfield Zoo, said that the goal of the conference is to expose students to the possibility of doing something in STEM and to let them know that a future in the field is in reach.
“We wanted to expose kids to people in STEM so they could get an idea of how to pursue a career ( in the field),” Mendez said. “A lot of the teens in this program are passionate about topics already and we want to continue to give them the tools to pursue their goals and to hear from people first hand.”