On Wednesday, February 11, we recognize the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and celebrate with a fun, engaging, and inspiring event—the 2026 Girls+ in STEAM Conference!  

This virtual conference is an opportunity for youth in grades 6 to 9 to meet women working in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) fields, gain new skills, and have a lot of fun with hands-on activities. 

The 2026 Girls+ in STEAM Conference will be presented virtually and is FREE for all participants; however, registration is required. 

This inclusive program welcomes participants and mentors of many gender identities—whether you identify as a girl, boy, trans, genderqueer, non-binary, Two-Spirit, or gender questioning. 

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Jenn Harper

In January of 2015, Jenn Harper had the most vivid dream of little Indigenous girls covered in colorful lip glosses. That dream is what gave birth to Cheekbone Beauty, one of the first Canadian Indigenous-owned and founded cosmetics companies.

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MENTORS

More information coming soon.

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VIRTUAL EVENT SCHEDULE

9:30 am: Conference Kick Off

9:35 am:

Welcome and Introduction from Host

9:50 am: Welcome from Sandy Baumgartner – CEO Saskatchewan Science Centre

10:00 am: Keynote Presentation

11:00 am: Breakout Sessions

12:00 pm: Lunch Break

1:00 pm: Welcome Back from Host

1:05 pm: Health Break

1:15 pm: Breakout Sessions

3:00 pm: Conference Closing Ceremonies

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GIRLS+ IN STEAM SPONSORS

GIRLS+ IN STEAM PARTNERS

FAQ:

• My classroom will contain both boys and girls. Does this mean that I am unable to register?

  No! This conference will contain themes and messaging that are meant to speak more directly to girls. However, the keynote and sessions will contain information and messaging that speaks to a larger audience and are appropriate for all audiences.

• Do participants have to register as part of a classroom?

  Yes, this event is available to classrooms and home schools.

• Am I able to participate in the event even if I cannot receive supplies? Can I still apply to view the keynotes and breakout sessions?

  Absolutely! This event has great information even if you do not have supplies. All activities that are a part of breakout sessions will show supplies that are used and are offered asynchronously so you are able to come back to those sessions at a future time. It is also worth noting, that our coding platform allows you to utilize virtual hardware so you can code along with us.

• If I am a teacher and I apply, what would I receive?

  Our classroom kits are designed to provide relevant materials for activities. They are designed for students to work in groups, and will be customized to class size. We can accommodate a maximum of 30 students in each kit.

• Why is this conference designed with girls being the primary audience?

  There is a lot of evidence that show as young women learn in school, they perform on par with boys, and enroll in STEAM classes on par. However, as time goes on, a gender gap grows as participation from girls in STEAM classes drops off. This is further widened by issues of race and class. Our goal in offering this program is to help these young girls begin to understand that anyone can be a scientist, engineer, coder, an architect, or any STEAM-related professional by creating positive experiences with other young women. We hope to dispel the myth that they aren't able to excel in STEAM fields.

About the International Day of Women and Girls in Science

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are a call to action to promote prosperity and protect the planet. Goal 5 seeks to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. To achieve this goal, youth in particular girls, need more opportunities to learn about careers and opportunities to be future innovators.

International Day of Women and Girls in Science (unesco.org)