Hawaiʻi STEM Conference Kicks Off With 500 Participants

Over 300 students from across the state will be participating in the Hawaii STEM Conference. The event kicked off today and will continue through Saturday.

By Wendy Osher

An estimated 300 students, 120 teachers, and 75 industry professionals from across the state are attending the 5th Annual Hawaiʻi STEM Conference taking place today and tomorrow at the Wailea Marriott in South Maui.

Hundreds of students representing 30 intermediate and high schools in Hawaiʻi will participate in the regional technology conference that includes breakout sessions, software competitions, a formal awards banquet, and exhibit presentations.

The two-day venue offers a unique collaborative opportunity between students, educators and industry professionals, and showcases some of the most innovative technology companies from around the world, according to an event announcement.

A total of 26 breakout sessions are being offered this year.  Organizers say the sessions are being led by education teams from Google and National Geographic Education, as well as industry presenters from EPSCoR, Air Force Research Laboratory, 3D Innovations, University of Hawaiʻi-Maui College, Searider Productions, 3D Innovations, Goma Games, and others.

A networking event today also gives participants an opportunity to learn about different career paths and how professionals found success through science, technology, engineering and math.

This year’s theme, “Innovate. Empower. Impact the World through STEM,” challenges participants to apply their own STEM abilities to innovate, empower, and impact the community and the world.

Hawaii STEM Conference’s popular “5×5” event offered a high energy networking session featuring over 30 local STEM professionals and 350 STEMworks students.

Keynote speakers scheduled for the event include:

• Rosemary Wardley: Senior GIS Cartographer in the Maps Division of National Geographic Society
• Pono Shim: President and CEO of Enterprise Honolulu, Oʻahu Economic Development Board
• Ben Pigao: Maui High grad, former STEM student, Nike designer, global photographer and principal of Empire Green Creative

Since its inaugural event in 2009, the Hawaii STEM Conference has grown in popularity, attracting national partners and sponsorships from to technology companies like Google, the National Geographic Society, Apple for Education, SketchUp, Chevron, and ESRI, event organizers said.

The conference is sponsored by the Maui Economic Development Board’s Women in Technology Project in partnership with the County of Maui and the Office of the Hawaiʻi State Director for Career and Technical Education.

Organizers say it provides an opportunity for students to gain firsthand exposure to in-demand technology, software training, and real world challenges in the form of hands-on competition.