Girls in Technology Event

HCCC's 11th Annual Girls in Technology Symposium 2024

Inspiring & Supporting Young Women in STEM.

High Schools and Middle Schools are invited to attend at NO COST.

Meals are included.

Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024
Time: 8:30 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.
Location: Culinary Conference Center, 161 Newkirk St. Jersey City, NJ 07306

Program will include:
Activities
Panel Discussions
Student Displays
Presentations
Contents
Giveaways and more!

RSVP details coming soon!

For more information, such as registration, volunteering, and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Chastity Farrell at cfarrellFREEHUDSONCOUNTYCOMMUNITYCOLLEGE.

Forms, Information, and Guidelines

Student Registration Form Sponsorship Information Volunteer Form General Release Form
Student Display Contest Guidelines Student Opening Speaker Essay Guidelines

Girls in Technology Symposium 2023

Inspiring & Supporting Young Women in STEM.

Check out the event program and photos from last year's 10th Annual Girls in Technology Symposium event!

Event Program   View Photos

Hudson County Community College’s Tenth Annual ‘Girls in Technology’ Symposium Showcases STEM Opportunities for Area High School Students

The event included activities, contests, panel discussions, presentations, and more.

March 30, 2023, Jersey City, NJ – Women lead major research and development projects for corporations, build high-tech products, solve environmental problems, design websites for influencers, and mentor the next generation of young women interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) professions. Due to lack of role models, women remain largely underrepresented in these historically male-dominated fields.

On Thursday, March 30, 2023, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) hosted its Tenth Annual “Girls in Technology” Symposium to inspire and support young women to pursue fulfilling and well-paying careers in STEM. The day-long event was held at the HCCC Culinary Conference Center, 161 Newkirk Street in Jersey City. At breakfast, HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber welcomed Hudson County middle and high school students. Lori Margolin, HCCC Associate Vice President of Continuing Education and Workforce Development, provided an overview of the day, and Chastity Farrell, Director of Continuing Education and Workforce Development, delivered opening remarks. As part of the opening ceremonies, Grace Mejia of Jose Marti STEM Academy in Union City read her winning essay, “The Jetsons Were onto Something.” A panel discussion, activities, demonstrations, and contests followed.

The panel discussion, “A Day in the Life of Women in STEM,” was moderated by HCCC Engineering student Sofia Ruseva, an Environmental Assessor at UNYSE, LLC, New York’s most experienced source for asbestos, lead, mold, and hazardous materials testing. Panelists included  

• Zobia Alvi, Creator and Head Web Developer for The Z Collective, and Senior Technical Recruiter for DotDash;
• Summer Jones, Associate Vice President of Technical Support Services at Montclair State University;
• Nigar “Niko” Kazimova, Software Engineer, Mondo.com;
• Madhuri Singal, board-certified toxicologist and Principal Scientist of Worldwide Safety Evaluation at L’Oréal; and
• Ashley Turner, Virtual Design and Construction Manager.

Activity sessions included

• “Coding: Simon Says – Hands on Coding,” led by Latinos in STEM;
• “Color Matching Technology” for textiles, paint, print, and cosmetic manufacturing, led by the Hudson County Community College School of STEM;
• “Origami Space Challenge,” inspired by NASA and led by New Jersey City University (NJCU) Ed Tech Doctors;
• “Augmented Reality Storytelling Environments,” led by Membit and Jersey City Fab Lab; and
• “Sensory/Expert + Instrumental Evaluation – Skin” and “Hair Care and Color Evaluation Techniques + Hair Grading” Science activities led by L’Oréal.

The STEM educators and entrepreneurs leading the activity sessions were

• Fahima Bacha, a secondary mathematics supervisor at North Bergen High School and NJCU professor;
• Kin Bae, Google Software Engineer;
• Baldween Casseus, Google Global Product Lead;
• Yavus Guner, HCCC Cybersecurity Instructor who holds Certified Ethical Hacker – EC Council and CompTIA Security+ Certification;
• Clive Li, Assistant Professor of Engineering Science at HCCC and recipient of the 2023 American Association of Community Colleges’ 2023 Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty Recognition, who holds three patents;
• Dana Mason, a Technology teacher in Bayonne and NJCU professor who combines her love of arts with technology;
• Michelle Megalia, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hickory Industries, Inc.;
• Karina Mitchell, Co-Founder and Vice President of Membit, a geolocative augmented reality application;
• Marcos Navas, an active Maker-Ed and Ed-Tech community member, and founder of Hands on Coding, LLC, and Latinosincoding.org;
• Eric Nadler, founder of Towhee Company, and Jersey City Fab Lab, which designs, produces and develops educational toys and programs, web and mobile media, accessories, and wearables; and
• Paulina Porembska, Morgan Lamber, Sharmaine Latar, and Nicole Totorello, Scientists at L’Oréal. 

In the afternoon, the Student Display Contest highlighted works themed “Technology: Past, Present, and Future.” Students learned about attending Hudson County Community College and the HCCC STEM programs.

After lunch, attendees enjoyed a Web 3.0 and Future Jobs of the Metaverse presentation by Latinos in STEM; learned about the Eastern Millwork, Inc. (EMI)-HCCC Holz Technik Apprenticeship and Internship program and how to apply; and discover the winners of the Student Display Contest.

The HCCC Girls in Technology program was made possible thanks to the generosity of program sponsors – Eastern Millwork, Inc., eMazzanti Technologies, and MAST Construction Services, Inc.

Contact Information

Office of Continuing Education
161 Newkirk Street, Room E504
Jersey City, NJ 07306
(201) 360-4224
CEFREEHUDSONCOUNTYCOMMUNITYCOLLEGE