YWIB-San Francisco Bay Area: Explore STEM – Earth Science & Engineering in Action

On August 21, 2025, Young Women In Bio (YWIB) San Francisco Bay Area organized a hands-on outreach activity dedicated to Earth Science education for youth. A group of 21 middle and high school students gathered for a vibrant event hosted at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. Kiara Yoon, YWIB Ambassador Alumna and Event Organizer, opened the session by introducing YWIB and the event. Stanford’s Dr. Paula Welander then offered welcoming remarks and explained her interdisciplinary path in academia, combining biology and Earth science. Dr. Sara Beth Cebry, a postdoctoral geophysicist at the US Geological Survey, led the remainder of the event, speaking on her research in the Earth sciences. YWIB committee volunteers Juniper Scribner (YWIB Committee Co-chair), Eugenia Rutenburg, and Isita Jhulki also supported students throughout the activity. The workshop concluded with a marshmallow toothpick tower-building activity that tested each tower’s ability to withstand a shaker table. Guided by Kiara and Sarah Beth, students applied the principles of earthquake engineering to construct their towers, which all survived! The event provided youth a meaningful opportunity to engage with Earth science in the Bay Area, where geologic activity is prominent. It marked YWIB’s expansion of educational opportunities into the South Bay and highlighted a vital field of science that is often overlooked by young learners.

Submitted by Kiara Yoon (YWIB Ambassador Alumna)