Women's History Month 2024

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION

MARCH 10, 2024 | 10 AM - 4 PM

Join KID Museum as we explore the contributions of girls and women and celebrate their achievements, fostering gender equality and inspiring the next generation!

Meet local women in STEM and Making, enjoy a mini-exhibit of some of the IF/THEN STEM Ambassadors (amazing Women in STEM who got their own 3D printed statue), and participate in maker projects with the community.

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Event Details

Neuro-Explorers: Making Brain Cells

10 AM - 4 PM

Discover the wonders of the brain with women in neuroscience from Brown University during Brain Awareness Week! Learn about the 100 billion neurons in the human brain and explore how these amazing messengers transmit information.

Meet and Greet Women in STEM

2 PM | PHOTO OP

Celebrate Women’s History Month with our mini-exhibit showcasing four remarkable 3-D printed statues of local women in STEM, part of the IF/THEN Exhibit. Join us for a unique opportunity to meet these women in real life and capture the moment! Witness how they’re shaping the future, breaking barriers, and proving that being a woman is no obstacle to any career. IF we support a woman in STEM, THEN she can change the world!

Meet a Maker: Aisha K. Lawrey

12 - 4 PM

Meet Aisha, see her life-sized 3D-printed sculpture, and join us in honoring her during our celebration!

“If you educate a girl, you educate the world!”

Meet a Maker: Cori Lathan

12 - 4 PM

Meet Cori, see her life-sized 3D-printed sculpture and join us in honoring her during our celebration!

“If you show girls the power of technology, they can invent the future.”

Meet a Maker: Wendy Bohon

12 - 3 PM

Meet Wendy, see her life-sized 3D-printed sculpture and join us in honoring her during our celebration!

“It is wild that I’m an actress and a scientist, and it illustrates the point that scientists are whole people with interests and skills and passions that fall outside of the realm of science. “

Meet a Maker: Dr. Ciara Sivels

12 - 3 PM

Meet Ciara, see her life-sized 3D-printed sculpture, and join us in honoring her during our celebration!

“I was a ‘first,’ but I hope you join me in the world of engineering.”

Ways of Sculpting

10 AM - 1 PM

Team up with KID Museum Maker Educators to explore the wonderful world of sculpture!

Get hands-on with paper sculpture and 3D printers, and make your own creation to complement the inspirational sculptures of women in STEM located around the museum.

Meet a Maker: Dr. Arlyne Simon

12 - 3 PM

Meet Arlyne, see her life-sized 3D-printed sculpture and join us in honoring her during our celebration!

“I really think inventing is magical.”

Basics of Plumbing with AbodesJoy

10 AM - 1 PM

Demystify toilets!

AbodesJoy is a nonprofit training organization based in Silver Spring that works to empower diverse learners in home repair. Be in the know – learn how to troubleshoot basic toilet tank issues AND save money!

Women In Construction!

TIME TBA

Discover the ins and outs of construction with real engineers and builders from Southland Industries and Hensel Phelps.

Learn about what it takes to build a solid structure, try out the gear and tools of the trade, and more!

Radical Self-Love Flowers with Christina Hernandez

10 AM - 1 PM

Join entrepreneur Christina Hernandez to create Radical Self-Love flowers out of upcycled paper.

Christina is the owner of Everything Elsie, a shop dedicated to producing sustainable goods and crafts for eco-conscious consumers.

Access for Every Maker

KID Museum is dedicated to expanding access to STEM and maker learning opportunities for all by providing free and reduced-cost opportunities to participate in our programming.

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Celebrating Women #HistoryMakers

Wendy Bohon

Geologist & Science Communication Specialist

One morning in 1999, actress Wendy Bohon woke up to her roommates shouting, "earthquake!" After the dust settled, she began volunteering at the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program – knowing that her double major in theater and geology could be the perfect fit for this important work. Wendy saw first-hand how crucial science communication can be for public safety. Since that earthquake, Wendy has earned a masters and Ph.D. in earthquake geology, and is now the Science Communication Specialist for the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology.

Wendy Bohon
Geologist & Science Communication Specialist

Katya Echazarreta

Electrical Engineer & Citizen Astronaut

On June 4, 2022, Katya (Kat) Echazarreta became the first Mexican-born woman in space. By that time, Kat had already worked as an electrical engineer on five other NASA missions, including Perseverance and the Europa Clipper. But her real mission is here on Earth. Since leaving NASA, Kat has committed herself to being a resource and a mentor for girls and women in STEM. She hopes that by being honest about her experiences in the field – including the bad experiences, like discrimination – she can create a more accessible path forward for others. Kat lectures and hosts her own TV segment, Electric Kat, on the CBS Children's show Mission Impossible. She also consults with Space for Humanity, the organization that sent her to space.

Katya Echazarreta
Electrical Engineer & Citizen Astronaut

Xyla Foxlin

Mechatronics Engineer, Entrepreneur, & Nonprofit Director

What does it mean to be beautiful? For Xyla Foxlin, a mechatronics engineer and YouTuber, #BrilliantIsBeautiful. On her channel Beauty and the Bolt, Xyla tackles all kinds of engineering challenges, building everything from cedar canoes to fiberglass rockets. She's even built her own travel camper! Xyla also founded a nonprofit of the same name. So far, her #PrincessesWithPowerTools program has taught nearly 6,000 children how to use their first power tools.

Xyla Foxlin
Mechatronics Engineer, Entrepreneur, & Nonprofit Director

Limor "Ladyada" Fried

Electrical Engineer & Creator of Adafruit

While studying engineering at MIT, Limor “Ladyada” Fried decided that she would use her skills to create better educational tools for teaching electronic engineering. She founded the electronics company Adafruit in her dorm room in 2005, and in the last 10 years, Adafruit has grown to over 100+ employees in the heart of NYC with a 50,000+ sq ft. factory. Adafruit has expanded its offerings to include tools, equipment, and electronics designed for makers of all ages and skill levels. Limor’s moniker, Ladyada, is an homage to Lady Ada Lovelace, a mathematician who recognized the potential of computers.

Limor “Ladyada” Fried
Electrical Engineer & Creator of Adafruit

LaKisha Greenwade

Inventor, Wearable Tech Founder, & Author

LaKisha Greenwade believes that innovation comes from overcoming your fears and challenges by developing solutions. She is an award-winning innovator and the founder of Wearable Tech Ventures, a company that supports underrepresented entrepreneurs in creating exciting and purpose focused wearable tech solutions. For many years, LaKisha led innovation efforts for corporations and the Federal Government. She earned a B.S. from Ohio State University, an MBA from the University of Maryland College Park, and a Design Thinking certification at MIT. She has inspired and empowered people from four continents to activate their ingenious nature to improve the world around them.

LaKisha Greenwade
Inventor, Wearable Tech Founder, & Author

Cori Lathan

Tech Inventor & Entrepreneur

"If you show girls the power of technology, they can invent the future." Dr. Cori Lathan is a neuroscientist, biomedical engineer, and tech entrepreneur who uses technology to help people do things better. She co-founded AnthroTronix, a tech innovation firm which made a robot to help kids with disabilities, a sensor glove to train surgeons, a virtual reality system to study astronauts in space, and a computer game to track your brain health. She also serves on KID Museum’s Board of Directors.

Cori Lathan
Tech Inventor & Entrepreneur

Aisha Lawrey

STEM Educator & Electrical Engineer

Aisha Lawrey always thought she would grow up to be a lawyer; however, due to her math and science prowess, her math teacher introduced her to the idea of becoming an engineer. At first, Aisha didn't know what an engineer was, but soon found out that it meant being a professional problem-solver. Driven by the challenge of increasing diversity in a field lacking women, especially women of color, she passionately pursued engineering as a career. Today, she focuses on increasing the number of women and minorities in engineering. She currently works as the Training and Certification Global Education Ambassador, AMERICAS for Education Programs at Amazon Web Services (AWS). Aisha's motto is, "If you educate a girl, you educate the world!

Aisha Lawrey
STEM Educator & Electrical Engineer

Stephanie Santoso

Co-Founder & President of MakerUSA

From 2014 to 2016, Stephanie Santoso served as the first Senior Advisor of Making at the White House, helping President Obama’s Nation of Makers initiative broaden access to the Maker Movement. Now, Stephanie Santoso helps communities build stronger pathways for underserved students into making-related careers and entrepreneurship through talent and capacity as Co-Founder and President of MakerUSA. She holds a Ph.D. in Information Science from Cornell University, where her research focused primarily on the social impact of democratizing 3D printing. Stephanie previously ran an all-natural, gluten-free baked goods company with her mother and enjoys sewing, experimenting with 3D printing, and making homemade toys for her son.

Stephanie Santoso
Co-Founder & President of MakerUSA

Dr. Arlyne Simon

Biomedical Engineer & Children's Book Author

When she was five years old, Arlyne Simon decided she would be an inventor. She had never seen an inventor who looked like her, but was determined to pursue her dream regardless. Arlyne grew up to invent a blood test that can detect when cancer patients reject their bone marrow transplants, designed medical imaging equipment, and even taught Kenyan lab workers how to build supercomputers. Alongside her biomedical engineering career, Arlyne is a children’s book author. With her “Abby Invents” series, she is inspiring the next generation of engineers.

Dr. Arlyne Simon
Biomedical Engineer & Children’s Book Author

Dr. Ciara Sivels

Nuclear Engineer

When Dr. Ciara Sivels was 16, she wanted to be a pastry chef. That was before she learned about atoms. She was fascinated by the idea that such tiny things could create so much energy. With the encouragement of her chemistry teacher, Ciara began studying engineering. She eventually became the first Black woman to obtain a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from the University of Michigan – but she's determined not to be the last. As she puts it, "I was a 'first,' but I hope you join me in the field of engineering."

Dr. Ciara Sivels
Nuclear Engineer

DIY Activities

Celebrate Women’s History Month at home with our free DIY maker projects.

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