Geek Is Glam STEM Expo has run as an annual day-long interactive STEM conference for middle school girls (grades 4-8) since 2014. Hosted by Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts on the Worcester Polytechnic Institute campus, GSCWM recruits some 60 to 80 education and adventure collaborators each year to give girls access to some of the region’s top scientific and engineering minds as they engage in the exploration and discovery of science, technology, engineering and mathematics on the beautiful WPI campus.
Sunday, October 13, 2024
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
For Girls in Grades 4-8
$55 per girl (includes lunch, snacks, a GiG t-shirt, drawstring backpack, and an exclusive GiG patch)
Registration Closes September 19
Have you ever wondered, “How does that work?” or thought to yourself, “I could build that!” Explore, experience and experiment, not for a grade, but for fun! Meet talented women and experience exciting opportunities in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Discover how you can make a difference in the world.
This is a girl-only event, ADULTS DROP OFF AND DO NOT STAY WITH THEIR GIRLS. Volunteers are always welcome to join us for the day, please see below.
If you have any questions about our Geek is Glam event please email us at info@gscwm.org
At Geek is Glam, you'll enjoy:
This is a girl-only event, adults drop off and do not stay with their girls.
We are looking for adults to volunteer with us for the day! If you would like to be a part of this great event, please fill out our Volunteer Interest form at https://forms.office.com/r/szP3e2ypeg. Volunteers are needed to assist in workshops, run registration, direct girls, be hall monitors, and various other opportunities. All volunteers must be a registered member of Girl Scouts, have an active CORI on file with GSCWM, and understand they will not be with their troop or daughter for the day. The first 35 approved volunteers will receive a Geek is Glam t-shirt and all volunteers get lunch on us!
This event is made possible by our wonderful sponsors. Would you like to join that list? Please fill out this form and return it to TBreen@gscwm.org to help us inspire our girls to a future in STEM!
Geek is Glam Media Kit
Geek is Glam Sponsorship Form & Information
We’d love to have you join us at our STEM GIG. Would you like to offer hands-on interactive workshops? Would you like to reserve a table during our Expo Hall? Would you like to put on a demonstration during our event? Are you interested in sitting on career panels and inspiring girls into STEM related fields with YOUR story? Please fill out the Expo Participation Form found at: https://forms.office.com/r/RhzjWgS5Hn and help us inspire tomorrow’s STEM leaders TODAY!
Grades 4-8
Session 1, 2
Learn about all sorts of bridges with Boston Society of Civil Engineers - the many types, how they make them, how they stay up and how they fall down! And we're not just talking about them, we are making them!
Grade 4-8
Session 1, 2, 3
This is your chance to meet women in fascinating STEM fields, find out why they chose their particular field and what it takes to get there! With small groups, you'll have plenty of time for questions and answers and really find out what it takes to get where you want to go!
Grade: 4-8
Session 1, 2
This presentation includes topics such as defining bullying and the various forms of harassment, including cyberbullying. Learn about current issues encountered when using social media and the legal ramifications of harassment. Internet safety tips are provided, along with addressing how your personal use of social media can affect your future opportunities and personal relationships. District Attorney Early’s Office will also provide tips on how to recognize and resolve these situations as both the target and as a bystander, as well as how to identify who is your trusted adult.
Grade 4-8
Session 3, 4, 5, 6
Hands-on, interactive, informative and yes- SUPER FUN - Expo Hall is wall-to-wall STEM excitement! The hall has robots, Giant Games, experiments, demonstrations, raffles and so much more!
All girls MUST pick only one Expo session; the Expo is offered during 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Grade 6-8
Session 1, 2
Join TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) Academy for a fun and interactive workshop to explore the exciting world of entrepreneurship, where you'll learn how to turn your creative ideas into a real business. We'll cover the basics of starting a business, including brainstorming ideas, creating a simple business plan, and tips for marketing and selling your product. Come participate in this hands-on workshop to bring your business dreams to life! And be sure to visit their table in the Expo Hall too!
Grade 4-5
Session 1, 2, 4, 5
Join UMass Department of Dermatology to learn more about skin health through hands-on activities! Learn about the layers of your skin, what pimples actually are, and what happens when you get a bug bite! We’ll talk about how to take care of your hair, skin, and nails through arts & crafts, such as making a model of your skin and UV bead bracelets that change colors in the sun.
Grade 4-8
Session 2, 3
An all-you-can eat lunch in the college dining hall with more choices than you can ever imagine! Options available for all diets, dietary restrictions and likes! Clean kitchen and seating area also available. All girls MUST pick one lunch session, either Lunch 1 OR Lunch 2.
Grade 4-8
Session 1, 2, 4, 5
Learn more about how you think so that you can be safer, a better student, and a better communicator. We'll participate in 20-25 games which illustrate our strengths and weaknesses as we sense, perceive, think, learn, remember, make decisions, respond and multi-task. We'll also briefly discuss a career in human factors/ergonomics, which combines knowledge of engineering and psychology to design products and systems which are safe, easy and fun to use. Everyone participates in some activities. Some, but not all, adventuresome participants will participate "on stage". You may even win a prize!!!
Grade 4-8
Session 1, 2, 3, 4
Join local musician & biologist Leah Nichole to learn about your less visible backyard neighbors! Explore creature life cycles through music, storytelling, and art with The Quiet-loud Machine.
Grade 6-8
Session 2,
Slime is a soft, squishy, and wet material, and is a fun toy! Have you ever thought that slime is also an important biomaterial in medicine? Yes, slime is more than just a toy and it has indeed undergone intense research and development. Examples include contact lenses, bioadhesives, and vehicles to deliver drugs! Such a wide range of medical applications is owing to their organ-like properties--soft and wet. Yet organs have different stiffnesses--mucus is like liquid, the brain is soft, and the skin is resilient. In this workshop with an Assistant Professor in the Deparment of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, we will design slimes to match the stiffness of different organs. We will use Elmer’s school glue and magic liquid and mix them in various ratios to make slimes. We will test the stiffnesses of slimes and compare them with those of organs! We will also learn the science behind the making.
Grade 4-8
Session 1, 2, 4, 5, 6
Owl pellets are ecological Rosetta Stones. Scientists use them to understand everything from the health of an individual owl to the strength of an entire ecosystem. But what's an owl pellet, you ask? Join an EcoTarium educator to find out, and then examine pellets yourself to find bones, plants, insects, and more! Use your mathematical skills to divide what's what's left over after an owl chows down, then stretch your reasoning to draw conclusions about a habitat and its inhabitants.
Grade 6-8
Session 1, 2, 4, 5
This session will challenge you to be both a veterinarian and an engineer as you help to design an assistive device for a dog in need with Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.
Grade 4-8
Session 4, 5, 6
Explore rockets and how they work through engaging demonstrations and hands-on fun with Springfield Museums. Learn the practical ways NASA and other space explorers are using rockets in outer space, and grab a partner to pack and launch our own rockets outside! This workshop will be fast-paced and include ways to have fun with rockets with all ages as well as specific activities appropriate for older girls.
Grade 4-5
Session 1, 2, 4, 5, 6
Engineer a device to explore the universe in this great opportunity to work toward your Space Science Investigator Badge with an EcoTarium educator, and become part of the next generation of leaders in extraterrestrial technology!
Grade 4-8
Session 1
Learn all about understanding diabetes, focusing on the relationship between sugar and the disease. We'll explore the role of managing diabetes and its impact on overall health. Participate in a fun sugar activity and take part in a taste test to discover delicious options that are diabetes-friendly, as well as alternative sugars or sugar free options. Ascentria Care Alliance SNAP-ED will even have some fun giveaways for participation!
Do hands-on STEM activities, see James Web Space Telescope display images, see meteorites and a rotating solar system, and more with Aldrich Astronomical Society, Inc. during the Expo Hall.
Learn all about understanding diabetes, focusing on the relationship between sugar and the disease. We'll explore the role of managing diabetes and its impact on overall health. Participate in a fun sugar activity and take part in a taste test to discover delicious options that are diabetes-friendly, as well as alternative sugars or sugar free options. Ascentria Care Alliance SNAP-ED will even have some fun giveaways for participation! And stop by during the Expo Hall for free samples, recipes, food models, and free incentives.
Interact with Belmont STEAM Alliance Corp.'s FIRST robotics robot and do STEM activity in the Expo Hall.
Learn about all sorts of bridges with Boston Society of Civil Engineers - the many types, how they make them, how they stay up and how they fall down! And we're not just talking about them, we are making them!
This session will challenge you to be both a veterinarian and an engineer as you help to design an assistive device for a dog in need with Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.
Slime is a soft, squishy, and wet material, and is a fun toy! Have you ever thought that slime is also an important biomaterial in medicine? In this workshop with an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, we will design slimes to match the stiffness of different organs. We will use Elmer’s school glue and magic liquid and mix them in various ratios to make slimes. We will test the stiffnesses of slimes and compare them with those of organs! We will also learn the science behind the making.
Learn through play! Youth are the most natural science learners. So come join the Discovery Museum for fun activities and learn something at the same time!
Learn about lithography with nature print paper and DuPont in the Expo Hall!
Owl pellets are ecological Rosetta Stones. Scientists use them to understand everything from the health of an individual owl to the strength of an entire ecosystem. But what's an owl pellet, you ask? Join an EcoTarium educator to find out, and then examine pellets yourself to find bones, plants, insects, and more! Use your mathematical skills to divide what's what's left over after an owl chows down, then stretch your reasoning to draw conclusions about a habitat and its inhabitants.
Engineer a device to explore the universe in this great opportunity to work toward your Space Science Investigator Badge with an EcoTarium educator, and become part of the next generation of leaders in extraterrestrial technology!
Meet Mrs. Massachusetts USA Earth, Ashley Beaton, to pick up a park cleanup kit and also see that working in STEM can truly be Glam!
Unleash your science and engineering superpowers with exciting activities from the Museum of Science in the Expo Hall. Use your engineering skills to protect a snowboarder from a cascading mountain avalanche, learn about the impacts of wildfires in our changing climate, levitate objects using the force of magnetism, solve mind-bending puzzles, and more!
Star Wars Costumers will be in the Expo Hall for you to take pictures with, as well as some hands-on activities to show how STEM is used in costume and prop making! You can also learn all about New England Star Wars Costuming Clubs!
Learn how to forecast the weather with retired NOAA/National Weather Service Meteorologist Eleanor Vallier-Talbot with her weather box and weather instruments!
Interact with live insects and arthropods in the Expo Hall with Professor Bugman Entomology Adventures and the mini Arthropod Petting Zoo.
Learn more about how you think so that you can be safer, a better student, and a better communicator with Ronald G. Shapiro, PhD, LLC (Education by Entertainment Programs). We'll participate in 20-25 games which illustrate our strengths and weaknesses as we sense, perceive, think, learn, remember, make decisions, respond and multi-task. We'll also briefly discuss a career in human factors/ergonomics, which combines knowledge of engineering and psychology to design products and systems which are safe, easy and fun to use. Everyone participates in some activities. Some, but not all, adventuresome participants will participate "on stage". You may even win a prize!!!
IMPORTANT: We will be making a photo album at this session that will be emailed to participants. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO HAVE YOUR PHOTO TAKEN, PLEASE SELECT A DIFFERENT SESSION.
What does it take to build a robot? Visit Smith College's Robotics Outreach Initiative's expo to get your hands on some robots and find out. Our expo will include hands-on activities with LEGO MINDSTORMS robots that will teach you about the engineering process and specifically the designing, building, and coding of robots. We will also have a crafting station hosted by additional members of the Smith College STEAM Team!
Explore rockets and how they work through engaging demonstrations and hands-on fun with Springfield Museums. Learn the practical ways NASA and other space explorers are using rockets in outer space, and grab a partner to pack and launch our own rockets outside!
How "cool" is science? Negative 321 degrees, that's how! Join Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream in the Expo Hall for some really cool science experiments, nitrogen and ice cream samples! Sub Zero now has locations in Worcester, Cambridge, and NH!
Get information on how you can build your own droid and see live demonstrations of droids in action. The New England Droid Builders will also have photo ops with R2-D2 so bring your camera!
Learn about the real-life uses of technology and keeping yourself safe online with The Office of District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr.! Learn what information can be shared, and what needs to be kept private. Learn to be careful about who you trust online and how social media can affect your future. You can apply what you learn toward the NEW Cyberbullying Badges (not included).
Join local musician & biologist Leah Nichole to learn about your less visible backyard neighbors! Explore creature life cycles through music, storytelling, and art with The Quiet-loud Machine.
Join TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) Academy for a fun and interactive workshop to explore the exciting world of entrepreneurship, where you'll learn how to turn your creative ideas into a real business. We'll cover the basics of starting a business, including brainstorming ideas, creating a simple business plan, and tips for marketing and selling your product. Come participate in this hands-on workshop to bring your business dreams to life! And be sure to visit their table in the Expo Hall too!
Join UMass Department of Dermatology to learn more about skin health through hands-on activities! Learn about the layers of your skin, what pimples actually are, and what happens when you get a bug bite! We’ll talk about how to take care of your hair, skin, and nails through arts & crafts, such as making a model of your skin and UV bead bracelets that change colors in the sun.
The Worcester Department of Public Health will be in the Expo Hall with the State Interactive Bite Lab where you will learn about mosquitoes and ticks, take a quiz to win a prize, and learn about how science and technology support Public Health Nursing.
Visit Young Women in Bio Greater Boston to learn all about how a drug gets approved with "From Bench to Bedside, the Life of an Investigational New Drug" during the Expo Hall.
A printable version of the FAQs is avilable here.
This event is designed for girls only. Girls gain great independence and social skills working in groups with girls only. *If your child needs special accommodations, please contact Tammy Breen at tbreen@gscwm.org.
Please see above. We are looking for a large crew of volunteers to help in various roles at the event (not stay with their troop/girl or participate). Volunteers for the event MUST be registered, CORI’d adults who understand they are not going to be with their daughter or girls. If you are interested in volunteering for the event, please fill out our Volunteer Interest form at https://forms.office.com/r/szP3e2ypeg
GSCWM staff and registered, CORI’d volunteers, WPI staff and faculty, and 2 nursing supervisors and/or EMTs will be present for the event and will more than cover proper adult/girl ratios as set forth by GSUSA and GSCWM.
Try explaining what she can expect at the event. Talk about the fun, new things she will learn, and the new friends she will make. You can relate this event to being away from home during a day of school. If she is still not comfortable, then she may not be ready for this type of event-and that is okay! We have many other programs and events scheduled this year where you can stay and participate with your child.
You would be contacted on your phone/cell phone you listed on the permission slip given to us the day of the event during the event. Prior to the event you may be contacted by phone/cell phone or e-mail.
No. There are many reasons why we need to add on additional workshops within the first couple of weeks once registration opens. We cannot switch girls out of workshops once they have signed up.
Lunch will be provided in the WPI college dining hall! Additionally, snacks and drinks will be provided during the day.
The dining hall offers many food choices and is accustomed to providing choices to accommodate different food concerns. Your child will have many options available to her. We will not have refrigeration available to us but if you feel you need to send a lunch or her snacks, please provide her with something she will be able to carry in her backpack.
The dining hall has a “clean” kitchen where your daughter can choose from many options for lunch that should meet any severe food allergy requests. There will also be gluten-free, nut-free table options clearly marked and staff available to help guide in decisions. If your child needs to bring their own lunch and snacks, it will need to be something she can carry around with her in her backpack.
Yes, all girls will be required to bring an event permission slip with them and they will be collected at drop off. The event permission slip will be sent to you in your confirmation packet prior to the event and must be returned to council staff at drop off; do NOT send to council prior.
The workshops are intended to be groups of 15-20 girls unless otherwise noted.
Yes! Your child will be able to pick from a large variety of workshops when you register for the event. When you register on-line, you will be able to see immediately if workshops have openings and know what you are enrolled in. If registering by paper, registrations and workshops will be entered on a first-come basis. When registering by paper, you will not have the ability to see immediately what workshops are still available. For this reason, we ask that you register on-line. Due to many factors such as last minute cancellations, unforeseen circumstances, etc., girls do not receive confirmations of workshops until the day of the event when they will receive their schedules.
All our exciting workshops are being run by professionals in their fields! From college professors to zoo keepers to scientists, every workshop is being presented by those who do it best! Each workshop will have GSCWM staff members and/or volunteers to assist in the program as well and to meet girl/adult ratios.
The press attends this event yearly to help spread the word about girls doing great things in STEM. GSCWM also takes photos to use in our publications and social efforts. If you do not want your daughter photographed for these purposes, you need to note that on the registration under “other” and on her permission slip. A yellow sticker is placed on her name tag and every adult is aware she cannot be photographed. Have a conversation with your daughter so she is aware of what the sticker is for IF APPROPRIATE, and so that she can actively take part in meeting your concerns.
Everything from the lunch in the dining hall, t-shirt, drawstring backpack, a GiG patch, workshops, expo, demonstrations, hands-on activities, program supplies, and snack is included in this one-low price.
You will tell us! You will be prompted to provide your child’s size during the registration process. Girls will receive their t-shirts at the event. No exchanges can be made.
Yes, an exclusive GiG patch goes to all girls registered by the close date!
We have a limited amount of financial assistance available. Please fill out the event FA form available on our website and submit it to Tammy Breen at TBreen@gscwm.org.
We of course would LOVE for your daughter to be a Girl Scout but if she is not already one, that is okay! This is the PERFECT program for girls who have never been part of the Girl Scout experience to come and see what it’s all about! And of course, if she has a FUNtastic time-she can always become a Girl Scout later!
A uniform is not required but we always love to see girls showing their Girl Scout pride! It is up to the individual girl whether she wears her uniform or not. Keep in mind some of the workshops may be messy. And many girls chose to change into their GiG t-shirts anyway!
We hate to see your child miss out on any part of this day but we understand there are special circumstances. Please contact Tammy Breen at TBreen@gscwm.org and she will work with you to make sure your child can experience this day. There is not a price adjustment for being dropped off late or leaving early, you are paying for a full “spot”.
This is a girl-only event and we would love to have any girl in grade 4th-8th join us.
Absolutely! The more the merrier! If your child’s friend is a girl and also in grade 4th-8th, we’d love to have her join us for this event!
Absolutely! If she is in grades 9-12, she can volunteer for the event. Have her reach out directly to Alysha Stevens at AStevens@gscwm.org letting her know her interested and grade.
Email or write us before or on September 16 to get a refund if you’re not going to attend Geek is Glam or StemEX. We’ll refund all but a $5 cancellation fee per person. We’re sorry, but we don’t offer refunds for not showing up or if you arrive late or leave the event early.