Underrepresented students get a taste of STEM opportunities

On Tuesday, Feb. 28, Sandia welcomed 100 New Mexico students for a day of interactive science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities.

STEM Day at the Lab introduced middle and high school students, traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields, to careers and role models through hands-on sessions that combined instruction and mentorship.

Groups of students rotated through eight exploration stations, learning from researchers at each stop. The stations showcased a wide range of Sandia’s research and development work from chemistry to cognitive science and eye tracking, as well as nondestructive testing, an infrared camera, environmental models, a sticky foam demonstration, and more.

Sandia researchers educated the students about the scientific concepts on display and discussed their own STEM career paths. More than 35 Sandia employees, including members of Sandia’s Black Leadership Committee, the Hispanic Outreach for Leadership and Awareness group, and the American Indian Outreach Committee, helped with the event.

Staff from Sandia/California participated by volunteering at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s STEM Day on March 2. Sandia employees led students on a tour of the National Ignition Facility, sat with them as lunchtime mentors, and presented three hands-on STEM activities.

“We’re excited to open our doors to these students from our community. We want them to see the wide range of opportunities available to them when they study and work in STEM, and to benefit from the expertise we have right here in our community,” says Katrina Wagner (3652), the community relations specialist who organized the New Mexico event.