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On June 7th, AGSS hosted a mechanical engineering workshop at the Mission Valley library. Our woman in STEM was Emily Roebling, the engineer behind the Brooklyn Bridge, who took over after her husband became chronically ill. Before the workshop, I spoke with a girl who said, “I don’t know what Mechanical Engineering is, but it sounds really cool and I am super excited to learn about it.”
Their first lecture involved them learning about force and energy. They learned that energy is the ability to exert a force, and their hands shot up to provide many examples of when we use energy, such as running, brushing our teeth, etc. They also learned about different types of energy, like potential and kinetic. Additionally, we discussed the First Law of Thermodynamics and how energy is neither created nor destroyed, only changes form. The concept of simple machines was introduced to them, which they then used to build catapults that launched an M&M onto a chair. The participants said “Building the catapult was frustrating sometimes … [but] it was really fun and a good activity to start with.” After a snack break with cookies, bananas, and water, they learned about civil engineering and bridges. They talked about the best way to build a bridge, and the engineering behind it, including tensile and compressive forces. We also discussed balancing forces and how this could be use to create the most sturdy bridge possible. The group that made the bridge that held the most books said “it was really fun and a cool activity.” The last and final activity related to aerodynamics, where the participants built an egg drop but with water balloons. A girl told me that “this activity was a lot of fun because it was super hands-on and required creativity.” Overall, the mechanical engineering workshop introduced the participants to concepts they weren’t previously familiar with, but they learned a lot while having a lot of fun. Our next events are our NASA Astro camps on June 13th and 14th at Logan Heights and Pacific Beach Library, respectively. These super fun camps are in collaboration with the Clueless FTC Robotics team, and we hope to see you there!!
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On May 17th, girls from grades 3-8 participated in AGSS’s 11th annual All Girls Math Tournament at the Mission Valley Library! In this approachable tournament, our participants solved challenging math problems individually and collaboratively in three divisions: grades 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8. The Sprint Round included 30 problems to be solved in 40 minutes, and the Target Round included 4 pairs of 2 problems each to be solved in 6 minutes. Both rounds challenged our participants’ speed and accuracy. On the other hand, the Team Round, which was composed of 10 more challenging questions, encouraged our participants to work collaboratively and efficiently to solve the most problems in the shortest amount of time. We ended our competition with an easter egg relay as the participants played the game 24, where they used 4 numbers and the 4 basic operations (addition, subtraction, division and multiplication) to create the number 24.
Finally, our top participants were awarded some wonderful prizes at our awards ceremony. Of course, AGMT would not be possible without the support of our generous sponsors, including Art of Problem Solving, Minute Earth, Mathnaisum, Magikid Robotics, JoJo’s Creamery, 3Blue1Brown and more, who provided funding and wonderful prizes for our contestants. Our next workshop is on Mechanical Engineering on June 7, hosted at Mission Valley Library, and we will also be hosting our annual NASA Astro Camps in collaboration with The Clueless Robotics Team on June 13th and June 14th. Look forward to seeing you there! On Saturday, April 12, we hosted our Cryptography Workshop at Logan Heights Library. Our participants learned about the basics of encryption and cryptography by engaging in their own problem-solving simulations.
After learning about the caesar cipher and decoding some top-secret messages, the girls met Bob and Isabelle, a baker and a lover of cake. With their tablemates, they designed solutions to defend Bob and his beloved cake from a malicious delivery man, learning about the mechanism and technology behind security protocols, public key cryptography, and a denial of service attack. One participant shared that “I had a lot of fun trying to protect—and steal—Bob’s cakes!” Participants then learned about how all of these solutions combine to form the Needham Schroeder Protocol, a key security protocol in today’s world. Finally, the girls played a fun game of cryptography-inspired charades! The Cryptography Workshop was a whole lot of fun, and we look forward to seeing you at our biggest event of the year, our annual All Girls Math Tournament on May 17th, hosted at Mission Valley Library! On Saturday, March 15th, we hosted the Chemistry Workshop at the University Community Library! The workshop kicked off with an introduction to chemistry and fundamental concepts, including atoms and molecules, bonding, and the states of matter. In recognition of the contributions made by women in the field, this workshop spotlighted two women in STEM–Dorothy Hodgkin and Angie Turner King.
The participants then had the opportunity to engage in a hands-on activity through paper chromatography. This experiment, which involved separating ink into its individual components, helped to demonstrate real-world applications of chemistry, such as identifying substances in a mixture. One participant shared, “I liked this experiment because it taught me something while being fun and pretty at the same time.” Next, the girls learned about chemical reactions–how chemical bonds rearrange and interact to form new substances, as well as how to tell when a reaction is taking place. We conducted an experiment involving calcium chloride and baking soda, which resulted in a visible color change and the formation of bubbles. One of the most exciting parts of the workshop was incorporating the acid-base indicator. We used cabbage juice as a pH indicator, allowing participants to observe how the juice changes color depending on the acidity or alkalinity of the substance being tested. A participant commented, “It was cool how the same cabbage juice was different colors depending on the pH.” Thank you to everyone who came, and we look forward to hosting another workshop next month! On Saturday, February 1st, All Girls STEM Society hosted our Anatomy Workshop at the Allied Gardens Library. The girls learned about the 11 different body systems including the digestive, circulatory, respiratory, lymphatic integumentary, endocrine, urinary, and musculoskeletal systems. After learning about an incredible woman in STEM, they got to do three different activities to explore the respirator, circulatory, and musculoskeletal system further.
Our woman in STEM this workshop was the amazing Anna Morandi Manzolini (1714-1774), who was internationally known for the production of anatomically correct wax models. We learned that some of these wax models are still preserved today, and got to see a few photos of her work! Next, the students did an activity focused on the respiratory system, where they modeled the lungs, diaphragm, and trachea with balloons, straws, and a bottle. This helped them learn about how the parts of the respiratory system work together to help us breathe, and visualize lungs expanding upon an inhale. After listening to some lecture about the cardiovascular (circulatory system) the girls learned how to take their own pulse at their neck or wrist! They also learned that the heart is an involuntary muscle, and that cardiac muscle is not included in the musculoskeletal system. However, our hands, arms, legs, and anything that we voluntarily move is part of our musculoskeletal system! This system also includes tendons, and ligaments. To gain an understanding of how this system works, the students used a paper hand, string, and straws to create a hand that is able to move like a real hand when a few strings are pulled. The Anatomy Workshop was super fun, educational, and inspiring! We hope to see you at our Chemistry Workshop on March 15th!
On Saturday, January 11th, we hosted our first workshop of 2025: the Computer Vision Workshop at Logan Heights Library! The participants began by discovering how computer are able to see, the origins of computer vision, and the presence and applications of computer vision in everyday life.
Next, they learned about Dr. Fei-Fei Li, a computer scientist, writer, professor, and woman in STEM, as well as her contributions to advancing computer vision through her dataset. Also, participants worked on edge detection through coloring number grids and evaluating numerical differences between neighboring pixel values. Then, participants investigated the similarities and differences between human and computer vision and thinking. The girls were introduced to machine learning and its components: decision-making, self-adjustments, and teamwork. To practice one method of computer learning, they explored convolution layers by multiplying inputs and kernels to create feature maps. The participants further investigated the topic as they played Rock, Paper, Scissors by training computers to identify their hands in the form of rock, paper, and scissors. Through this experiment, they noticed the machine’s calculations and accuracy. The participants also learned of the challenges and benefits of computer vision today, and in the near future. Lastly, the girls tested out a finished machine-learning, drawing project. The Computer Vision Workshop was informative and super fun! We can’t wait to see you at our Anatomy Workshop on February 1st!
On December 14th, we held our annual Holiday STEM Party at the College-Rolando Library. Attendees explored their engineering, logic, and creativity through a variety of holiday-themed STEM activities.
The event kicked off with participants making paper snowflakes, learning concepts of aerodynamics and physics to design snowflakes that could stay in the air the longest. The next station then entailed making fake snow, which all of the girls got to take home! One participant remarked that the snow was “super fun”, and that she was “excited to show her parents!” Afterwards, the girls moved onto the “present drop” station, which, like an egg drop, entailed building structures out of popsicle sticks, paper, and tape to product their squishy toys. The participants come up with innovative ways to protect their cargo, with one designing a “burrito-shaped vessel” and another participant making a “drumstick-shaped spaceship”. Following a short snack break, participants then moved onto the M&M probability station, which many girls noted was their favorite activity! Finally, our last station was a logic activity, where the participants got to test their minds and a bunch of logic puzzles. Throughout the workshop, participants sang and danced along to holiday karaoke, as everyone got into the holiday spirit! Wishing everyone a Happy Holidays!
On Saturday, November 23rd, we hosted our Circuitry Workshop at the Mission Valley Library! Participants started by learning about electricity and lightning, the history of batteries, and circuits. Then, to apply their knowledge of circuits, they engaged in an activity, which was creating light-up nametags. The girls really enjoyed the problem-solving process and the celebrations when their circuits worked. After this activity, one participant expressed, “Originally, I wasn’t sure about coming to this workshop, but now, I feel interested in science.” After the snack break, the fun continued with everyone at the workshop holding hands in a circle to create a human circuit and illustrate the flow of electricity! This was followed by trivia and charades, which reinforced key concepts in an engaging way. In the final segment of this workshop, we welcomed Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, the youngest Member of Congress from California. She shared her journey and experiences, the importance of education and advocacy, and the power of the next generation to make an impact on the community. The Q&A session was lively, with many attendees asking thoughtful questions and feeling empowered by her story and insights. The Circuitry Workshop was fun and inspiring, involving both hands-on activities and real-world inspiration. We hope you will join us for the Holiday STEM Party next month!
On Saturday, October 12, we hosted our Mathematics of Games Workshop at City Heights/Weingart Branch Library! To introduce the participants to probability and game theory, we played a game where the girls attempted to guess a number from 1-100 that would be two-thirds of the average number the group guessed.
Then, we learned about Florence Nightingale, a woman in STEM who specialized in probability and discovered life-saving mathematical conclusions during World War One. After this game, they found the mathematical method of calculating probability and explored its use in everyday life, like forecast weather, coin flips, and card games. Diving deeper, we explored independent, dependent, and mutually exclusive events, as well as diagrams that aid in determining probability. The girls analyzed chances in rolling multiple dice, and created their own dice games! The objective of their games was to gain more points than their partner. The girls chose one method to implement in their own game, in order for their player to have a lower chance of winning then them. As each player formulated their games, they tested and evaluated each method mathematically to strategically win! Next, the girls discussed in groups more complex probability questions about coin flips. Finally, they investigated game theory and used what they learned in the workshop to create a probability game! This workshop was informative, fun, and allowed the participants to be creative! Be sure look for our Circuitry Workshop, on November 23, from 2:00-4:30 pm at Mission Valley Library.
On Saturday, September 21, we hosted our first workshop of the year: Ocean Sciences at the Pacific Beach / Taylor Library led by Sofia Hayden. We started off the workshop by introducing participants to the physics behind the ocean, delving into the origin of tides and the flow of ocean currents. Using food coloring and water at different temperatures, participants got to demonstrate how density affects current flow. Then, participants learned about the biology of the ocean, from phytoplankton to deep sea creatures to coral reefs. One participant remarked that “if we didn’t have plankton, everything would die,” illustrating the interconnectedness of ocean ecosystems.
The girls then learned about the challenges facing ocean conservation today, most notably ocean acidification. Participants observed and analyzed the process of ocean acidification using vinegar, baking soda and pH indicator solution, and as one participant stated, she saw how the indicator solution “went from basic to more acidic,” which another participant thought was “pretty cool.” Finally, it came time for our participants to apply their knowledge and come up with their own solutions to protect the ocean! Each group created their own marine conservation plan and presented it to a panel of “judges” (our volunteers). Everyone came up with super innovative solutions! One group decided to address light pollution, as “sea turtles use light to find their way back to the ocean, so when there’s too much light the sea turtles get lost.” Another group came up with a robotic contraption called “Jimmy the Octopus” that would use nitrogen to eliminate Crown-of-Thorns, a major predator of coral. Overall, it was another fun and educational AGSS workshop. We look forward to an awesome year, and we highly encourage you to sign-up for our upcoming Mathematics of Games workshop on October 12! |
All Girls STEM Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.