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iversity in STE A M www.diversityinsteam.com
CONFERENCE WRAP-UP
T
he SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) National Convention has come and gone again, but even with its virtual platform this year, the event proved to be a success. While the final attendance numbers aren't tallied yet, this year's conference was registered for by over 9,600 individuals and held over 230 workshops and sessions on October 26 through October 30. The turnout is expected to be as high it has been in the convention's history, earning the title, The Largest Virtual Gathering of Hispanics in STEM. With all of the uncertainty during these unprecedented imes, SHPE's theme was Ascend to Transcend, geared toward encouraging and motivating its attendees to prosper in their fields, no matter the circumstances. Whether it was through its panels, conversation, or resources, SHPE successfully conveyed this message to its audience. One of the greatest examples of this encouragement and the push toward diversity in STEM came from the fireside chat, Purpose Driven Latina Leaders and NASA astronaut Mike Fossum's panel, Dream Big - Remaining Agile in the Era of Rapid Change. Fossum gave an encouraging talk that centered around the idea of working hard to follow your dreams and included the successes of his Latinx and female colleagues who also followed a similar path to his own. Though wanting to be
COURTESY OF SHPE
There's a lot of Latinas getting their degrees in STEM. And so, when I see that in terms of the availability - why are we not putting them into those leadership positions? The whole purpose of diversity is not to outcast or segregate, it's to really open it up and lead the larger team that we have."
- Kristen Marquez of The Boeing Company
SHPE National Convention 2020: Ascend to Transcend"
Billed as 'the largest virtual gathering of Hispanics in STEM'
an astronaut since he was a little boy, it wouldn't be until a career in the Air Force, seven applications, five interviews, and 13 years later that Fossum became an astronaut. colleagues who made huge strides in the industry, serving as integral parts in NASA's work. Throughout his presentation, Fossum showcased colleagues who worked in various industries the audience to his colleagues, Put your name here. What could your role be at NASA? The sky is no longer the limit. The specific encouragement for the need for diversity in His story of trial and hard work was encouraging, but the biggest piece of inspiration came when he was telling the stories of his Latinx and female of the area to astronauts who went to space to engineers and beyond. Here's the real point, folks, Fossum said after introducing NASA and the STEM field alike continued to hold as a theme during the fireside chat. SHPE CEO Raquel Tamez, Kristen Marquez of The Boeing
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