TN Girls in STEM event brings careers, hands-on experiences to teens

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — From “intense” to “amazing,” those were two of the reactions to hands-on experiences for more than 150 combined middle and high schoolers attending the 28^th annual Tennessee Girls in STEM Conference at Middle Tennessee State University.

The event highlighting science, technology, engineering and mathematics took place Saturday, Oct. 19, in various MTSU science buildings and the McWherter Learning Resources Center.

Bailey Fowler, left, of Nashville, Tenn., who is a Lipscomb Academy middle school student, and Israel Akins of Murfreesboro, a Siegel Middle School student, take turns making a tourniquet Saturday, Oct. 19, during the 28th annual Tennessee Girls in STEM Conference at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. The session was led by Murfreesboro Medical Clinic lab technicians Mandy Keen and Michelle Cox. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy) — Bailey Fowler, left, of Nashville, Tenn., who is a Lipscomb Academy middle school student, and Israel Akins of Murfreesboro, a Siegel Middle School student, take turns applying a tourniquet Saturday, Oct. 19, during the 28th annual Tennessee Girls in STEM Conference at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. The session was led by Murfreesboro Medical Clinic lab technicians Mandy Keen and Michelle Cox. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy)

An autumn fixture, the conference has been a tool to draw girls and young women — like keynote speaker and MTSU alumna Emily Oppmann, who grew up attending and later became a volunteer — to consider careers in STEM.

Ze Shamsieva, 15, of Nashville, a sophomore at Nashville Valor College Prep considering medical school or law, said the conference “was an amazing experience. Being exposed to new career options was a good opportunity for us.”

With the other high school girls, Shamsieva heard from Caitlin Foley (animal science), Alyssa Logan (horse science), Jessica Young (Dairy Farm assistant manager) and Keely O’Brien (fermentation science), MTSU faculty panelists sharing their passion about their programs.

Instructor Jen Massie, a physical therapist with Results Physiotherapy at Kensington Place in Murfreesboro, Tenn., leads a group in a session called “Moving & Grooving” during the 28th annual Tennessee Girls in STEM Conference Saturday, Oct. 19, Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. The conference features many hand-on STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — activities. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy)

While in a session about small animal care featuring a dog named “Cupcake,” Joy Puk, 13, from La Vergne Middle School, said the conference learning curve was “really intense. You get to go around and experience hands-on activities.”

Hanna Terletska, associate professor in Physics and Astronomy, said it’s that time of year “when we come together to inspire young female students to physics and STEM through TGIS and the Physics Fun Workshop.”

Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, chemistry professor, director of the Women In STEM (WISTEM) Center at MTSU, and founder and director of Tennessee’s first Expanding Your Horizons girls’ STEM education workshop — Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross

Dr. Greg Van Patten, professor, Chemistry; dean, CBAS — Dr. Greg Van Patten

Dr. Hanna Terletska

Terletska thanked the Women in Physics group for their “great work at the workshop, and their dedication, excellent presentations and enthusiasm in inspiring the next generation of women in STEM.” She also praised Judith Iriarte-Gross, chemistry professor and TGIS founder and director.

“Tennessee Girls in STEM is an important way for MTSU faculty to continue the mission of educating the community,” said Greg Van Patten, College of Basic and Applied Sciences dean. “Judith has been a powerhouse, keeping it going for almost 30 years.”

Murfreesboro, Tenn., native and Middle Tennessee State University alumna Emily Oppmann, left, talks with a mother, Rachel Guffey, of Woodbury, Tenn., whose daughter, Olivia Guffey, a sixth grader at Cannon County Middle School, attended the annual Tennessee Girls in STEM Conference Saturday, Oct. 19, on the MTSU campus in Murfreesboro. Oppmann was the keynote speaker, sharing about her career in genetic counseling. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy)

A student attending the 28th annual Tennessee Girls in STEM Conference at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 19, poses a question to guest speaker Emily Oppmann, of Washington, D.C., an MTSU alumna and genetic counselor with Inova. There were so many great questions. They showed a high level of interest,” Oppmann said. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy) — A student attending the 28th annual Tennessee Girls in STEM Conference at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 19, poses a question to guest speaker Emily Oppmann, of Washington, D.C., an MTSU alumna and genetic counselor with Inova. “There were so many great questions. They showed a high level of interest,” Oppmann said. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy)

Oppmann, a Murfreesboro native and Blackman High School graduate, told attendees “to find your passion and go and make a positive difference” during her talk about genetics and genetic counseling, followed by a question-and-answer session, with students supplying “so many great questions, showing their interest,” she added.

Emily Oppmann, MTSU alumna and genetic counselor — Emily Oppmann

Oppmann is a certified genetic counselor specializing in oncology genetics at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Fairfax, Virginia, assisting patients and their families in navigating the intricacies of hereditary cancer testing.

A 2021 MTSU graduate, Oppmann earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in genetics and biotechnology and minors in chemistry and global studies. She earned a master’s in genetic counseling at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

Twins Jaishawna, left, and Teona Akins of Murfreesboro, Tenn., who are freshmen at Siegel High School in Murfreesboro, listen while meeting and talking to Emily Oppmann of Washington, D.C., a Middle Tennessee State University alumna who works in genetic counseling for Inova. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy)

Numerous MTSU faculty and students and off-campus partners participated this year.

The College of Basic and Applied Sciences sponsored the event. College advisor Cassie Piggott shared about the MTSU-Meharry Medical College Med School Early Acceptance Program, a fast-track program to increase the number of physicians providing medical care to underserved populations as well as alleviating health care disparities in rural Tennessee.

For more on the Tennessee Girls in STEM program, call 615-898-8253 or visit https://www.mtsu.edu/tgis/.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)