Building Futures in STEM: Glenna Hazeltine Conference Returns on April 7

Millersville University will host the 38th annual Glenna Hazeltine Women in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Conference on April 7, giving junior and senior high school students the chance to explore careers in STEM, hear from professional women in the field and find inspiration to pursue futures in science, technology, engineering and math.

Funded by the Glenna Hazeltine Endowment, the Conference runs 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on campus, primarily in the Reighard Multipurpose Room at the Student Memorial Center.

Keynote speaker Katie LaForest, licensed architect and vice president at mossArchitects, will present "Where Creativity Meets STEM: The Power of Architecture," showing how technical skills and creativity intersect in STEM careers.

Throughout the day, attendees can participate in role model sessions with women working in STEM, ask questions and gain insight into various career paths, according to Dr. Nazli Hardi, associate professor of computer science and chair of the Conference's planning committee.

All students will also take part in a student panel discussion featuring Lauren King '29, Elaina Potter '29, Anabelle Vue '26 and Casserly Ailinger '26, who will share peer perspectives on navigating STEM education. The Conference concludes with interactive science and technology demonstrations, allowing participants to choose areas that interest them most.

"This event connects young women with female professionals, exposes them to opportunities, and inspires them to pursue STEM careers, helping close the gender gap in these underrepresented fields," says Hardi. "We try to ensure that we have a good mix of role models, from the sciences, so the students can choose the presentations they are most interested in. We like that our speakers are people who convey what it's really like to be a woman in that career, not just the science behind the career. This year, we are excited to bring back the popular student panel, where select MU students from different majors bring their insights and answer questions from the audience."