ROME, N.Y. — The Project Fibonacci Foundation’s Women & STEAM Symposium will take place for a full house March 7 at the Beeches Manor in Rome.
The New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation (NYSTEC) is sponsoring the sold-out event, which brings together more than 125 students from local school districts to explore the intersections of STEM, the arts, and entrepreneurship for building career pathways. The symposium highlights accomplished women in business, education, medicine, philanthropy, politics, science, and technology.
“The response from schools, local business owners, and leaders in our community has been incredible,” event co-organizer Amy Jaworski said in a news release about the event. “There is clearly a need for more women-focused events in our area to help inspire young girls to break the gender barrier that is present in STEM fields today.”
An interactive panel, moderated by WSYR Channel 9- Syracuse’s meteorologist Kate Thornton, includes Alicia Dicks, president/CEO of the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties; Jasminka Husic, CFO and director of finance and business intelligence at NYSTEC; Della Pray, retired U.S. Air Force and educator in the Rome City School District; Heather Hage, president/CEO of Griffiss Institute; Kate Rolf, president/CEO of Nascentia Health; Jenn Brillante, president/partner at C&D Advertising; Marianne Buttenschon, state assemblymember; Mary Jo Post, technical director of Upstate Medical Center Cardiovascular Group – Nuclear Testing; and Aarthi Sekaran, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at SUNY Polytechnic Institute.
A “lunch and learn” segment allows students to interact with representatives from local business and technology sectors to answer questions and share their experiences. Participants include Barbara Welch, President/CEO of AndroMeta in Rome, a state-certified Minority Woman Owned Business Enterprise that specializes in drone-technology education for area schools.
The Creating Connections Fair portion of the event features more than 15 local businesses, academic institutes, and programs in the area, including On Point for College, which will provide information about their education and career services.
The Project Fibonacci Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization that uses the arts to grow the STEM workforce for the underserved.