The Nebraska Women in STEM conference is back on March 26 and 27 at the Embassy Suites in La Vista. The event supports community building and professional development for women in STEM careers. Tickets are $250.

“Every year, the Nebraska Women in STEM Conference grows,” said Amanda McGill Johnson, the executive director of Nebraska Cures — an advocacy nonprofit for science research and education — in a press release. Nebraska Cures and Bio Nebraska, the bioscience trade organization, partner to support Nebraska Women in STEM.

“We’ve fostered an inspiring, fun and encouraging environment where women and allies feel supported and heard,” McGill Johnson said. The conference tag line is “Move. Lead. Inspire.”

This year’s keynote speaker is Col. Eileen Collins, a veteran Air Force pilot and astronaut. Collins has logged over 537 hours in space and was the first woman to pilot a space shuttle and command a space shuttle mission.

“We are thrilled to have Col. Eileen Collins join us,” McGill Johnson said. “Col. Collins will share her encouraging perspective and insight on the leadership skills needed to break barriers and become a successful pioneer in your field.”

In a 2022 interview with Syracuse University, Collins’ alma mater, she encouraged women in STEM to not give up on their work, even if they find themselves in jobs where they are the only woman.

“The STEM fields are very important because they are essential to helping our country compete and grow in the future as the world is becoming more technical,” Collins said then. 

“Being a female pilot in a male-dominated profession, I always felt I had a responsibility to be a role model,” she said. “Young women will be inspired and more likely to enter STEM fields by seeing other women who have achieved success.’

Conference sessions range from “Breaking Up with Hustle Culture: Success on Your Own Terms,” to “Brains, Biases, and Behaviors: Turning Tension into Collaboration That Works.” Other sessions focus on responsible use of AI and leadership development.

Nebraska has seen some struggles with women in STEM roles. While there is a slight increase in the number of women in those jobs, women have also seen a widening pay gap with men.

Lev Gringauz is a Report for America corps member who writes about corporate innovation and workforce development for Silicon Prairie News.