Students in the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BCB) graduate program were among 25 organizations participating in the Girls in Science Festival held in February 2015 at the Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater. The BCB group held an interactive workshop that involved using computer games to solve bioinformatics problems and shared information about the undergraduate program in BCBio. The Festival connects girls and families with female STEM professionals from the Des Moines area. Interactive “STEM Zones” and collaborative workshops provide one-on-one connections for girls and female mentors from local companies and educational institutions.
The Girls in Science Festival is part of SCI’s Girls in Science Initiative, presented by DuPont Pioneer. This series of year-round programs aims to empower and equip girls in science, technology, engineering and math in order to promote girls’ early engagement in STEM, encourage pursuit of these careers and develop a diverse workforce for the 21st century.