be INSPIRED | stay MOTIVATED | grow PASSIONATE
WE RISE BY LIFTING OTHERS
February 13, 2021
Virtual Conference
University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
ABOUT
weSTEM (Women Empowered in STEM) is a one-day conference designed to inspire and connect current and aspiring STEM leaders. It was started in 2013 by the Graduate Society of Women Engineers (GradSWE) at the University of Illinois.
Invited speakers will share experience and insight from their diverse career paths following a graduate degree in STEM. The conference features lectures, workshops, and breakout sessions that showcase successful career paths of women and men in STEM, and facilitate the discussion of topics unique to the graduate student experience.
Click here to watch a video about weSTEM 2016!
REGISTER TODAY!
Registration for the 2021 weSTEM conference is closed. Please contact Zeynep Ayla with any questions at westemattendees@gmail.com.
schedule
Please note all times listed are in Central Standard Time (CST).
Friday, February 12th
6:30-8:30 PM
Evening Welcome Reception
Networking reception with participants and conference speakers
Saturday, February 13th
8:30-8:55 AM
Registration
Lobby
9:00-9:15 AM
Opening Remarks
Angie Wolters
Keynote Auditorium
9:15-10:15 AM
Opening Keynote Speaker
"Striving for Imperfection"
Nancy Martin
Keynote Auditorium
10:15-10:30 AM
Speaker Photo
Keynote Auditorium
10:30-11:45 AM
Breakout Tables
Breakout Discussion Room
12:00-1:00 PM
Lunch & Networking
Lunch & Networking Lounge
1:00-2:00 PM
Session One Talks
"Themes for living and leading in STEM"
Maureen Reitmann
Excellence Room
“Building a Resilient STEM Career in Uncertain Times: Adaptations from environmental climate change plans”
Katherine Moore Powell
Loyalty Room
"Go to a place where you can make a difference"
Karen Lozano
Innovation Room
2:15-3:15 PM
Panel Discussions
"The life side of work-life balance"
Janet Williams, Jennifer Morikawa, & Karen Wawrousek
Excellence Room
"Making a difference with your degree"
Michelle Hawkins, Joan Wills, & Nichole Pinkard
Loyalty Room
"Career success beyond the CV"
Romie Morales Rosado, Stephanie Salas-Snyder, & Shobha Vasudevan
Innovation Room
3:15-3:45 PM
Networking Session
Lunch & Networking Lounge
4:00-5:00 PM
Session Two Talks
Personal Success: "Two truths and a lie: when the unthinkable becomes reality" & "You belong: finding confidence in the face of self-doubt and imposter syndrome"
Wendy Wright & Jen Heemstra
Excellence Room
Career Pivots: "Academia or Industry after Graduate School?" & "Opportunity Makers, Takers and Breakers"
Jessica Bian & Alveda Williams
Loyalty Room
Career Pathfinding: "A midcareer scientist in retrospection: What I got right and what I would have done over" & "Piloting my career"
June Lau & Laura Bogusch
Innovation Room
5:15-6:15 PM
Concluding Keynote Speaker
"Resiliency: Succeeding through challenging times"
Jami Valentine Miller
Keynote Auditorium
6:15-6:30 PM
Closing Remarks
Keynote Auditorium
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SPEAKERS
SPONSOR weSTEM 2021
Join us this year for our flagship initiative to motivate and inspire brilliant young professionals in STEM! With your sponsorship, you’ll gain unique company promotion and recruiting access to the nation’s top graduate students in STEM.
SPONSOR BENEFITS
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Recognition in the weSTEM 2021 conference program booklet
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Online recognition at the GradSWE at Illinois website and on social media
In addition, sponsorship packages include,
Distinguished Scientist - $5000+
Sponsors weSTEM 2021's virtual platform, brunch and dinner gift cards for the day of the conference, and conference swags. Includes an e-book of attendee resumes in addition to sponsorship of GradSWE events.
Senior Scientist - $2500+
Sponsors weSTEM 2021's virtual platform, brunch and dinner gift cards for the day of the conference, and conference swags. Includes an e-book of attendee resumes.
lead scientist - $1500+
Sponsors weSTEM 2021's virtual platform and brunch and dinner gift cards for the day of the conference. Includes an e-book of attendee resumes.
Associate scientist - $750+
Sponsors weSTEM 2021's virtual platform and brunch and dinner gift cards for the day of the conference.
contributor - $350+
Sponsors weSTEM 2021's virtual platform.
Contact Wanqiu Chen (gradswe-funding@illinois.edu) if you are interested in sponsoring weSTEM 2021.
*A portion of all weSTEM 2021 Sponsorship packages will go towards funding the GradSWE general fund. Activities covered by these proceeds include: professional development lunches, national conference attendance, outreach initiatives and much more!*
weStem 2020 SPONSORS
 Distinguished Scientist Tier |  Lead Scientist Tier |  Associate Scientist Tier |
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 Associate Scientist Tier |  Associate Scientist Tier |  Contributor Tier |
 Contributor Tier |