Girls Participate in STEM Steps

LIMA — Area high school sophomores and juniors participated in an in-person STEM Steps program on the campus of Ohio State Lima. This was Ohio State Lima’s eighth annual STEM Steps program. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math.

STEM Steps is an enriching and exciting day filled with activities in various STEM fields to encourage and stimulate an interest in science. Students also learned the role of women in STEM fields and saw how they could impact the world with STEM education. Ohio State Lima faculty members led activities in biology, computer sciences, earth sciences and physics.

The keynote speaker was Shana Schnipke-Duling, DDS, of Columbus Grove Family Dentistry. Dr. Shana Schnipke-Duling has been a dentist and practice owner for almost eight years in Columbus Grove. She graduated from Ottawa-Glandorf High School, then the University of Findlay with majors in nuclear medicine and pre-med with minors in chemistry and biology, and then The Ohio State University with a Doctorate of Dental Surgery.

“I think it’s so important for them (girls) to listen to people that are in positions that they might want to have in the future. And to just encourage them to dream big. That they can really do anything that they put their minds and that it is okay to change your mind. You don’t have to solidify anything when you are 15 to 18 years old. Experience different things. It can change your mind; it can change your career path.”

The event welcomed more than 100 young women from 13 local high schools.

Girls from 13 high schools attended STEM Steps at the campus of The Ohio State University Lima.

Shana Schnipke-Duling was the keynote speaker at STEM Steps on the Campus of the Ohio State University Lima

Professor of Physics Dr. Sabine Jeschonnek leads STEM Steps participants through some hands-on activities in the physics lab.

Reach Dean Brown at 567-242-0409