GEMS WORKSHOPS

Upcoming Workshops 2025-26*

 

October 11: Dr. Dijanna Figueroa- Marine Biologist

Get ready to dive deep with Dr. Dijanna Figueroa, a real-life marine biologist who explores some of the darkest, most mysterious parts of our planet. In this hands-on workshop, GEMS will create their own glowing deep-sea circuit creatures and explore how ocean animals survive in the various zones of the ocean. They’ll leave inspired by another amazing female scientist ready to be ocean heroes and protect our blue planet.

Animal Add on: Touch Tank Animals (Hermit, Urchins, Sea Star)

 

November 8: Dr. Adriana Ocampo – Planetary Geologist

Journey with us into the geology of distant planets with Dr. Adriana Ocampo, a planetary geologist who uses satellite images and science sleuthing to discover ancient impact sites hidden deep beneath Earth’s surface. Her work has helped reveal clues about dramatic events from our planet’s past, and she’s led research expeditions all over the world to find them. In this workshop, GEMs will dive into geology, explore mysterious craters, and analyze a “planetary surface” to identify possible impact sites- just like a real space geologist!

 

December 13: Dr. Emily Taylor- Herpetologist

Explore the slithery side of science in this fang-tastic workshop all about snakes, venom, and the incredible ways animals survive in the wild! Girls will learn about Dr. Emily Taylor, a real-life snake scientist who studies rattlesnakes and how venom works. GEMS will take on the role of herpetologists as they investigate real-world snake mysteries, build their own rattlers, and act out survival strategies in a venomous world.

Animal Add on: Florida King Snake

 

January 10: Dr. Arlyne Simon: Biomedical Engineer

Dr. Ashley Simon is a biomedical engineer who uses sound waves—especially ultrasound—to help doctors see and treat what’s happening inside the body without surgery. Her work explores how sound can break up kidney stones, heal tendons, and even detect hidden injuries. GEMS can step into her world by experimenting with bubbles and sound to see how waves affect liquids, or by playing sound-based guessing games to learn how ultrasound helps “see” the invisible.

 

February 14: Dr. Aomawa Shields – Astronomer & Astrobiologist

Count down as we blast off and explore the universe with Dr. Aomawa Shields! She is an astronomer and astrobiologist who studies the climates of planets far beyond our solar system. She helps figure out which distant worlds might have the right conditions to support life! In this workshop, GEMs will design our own alien planets, classify planets by how friendly they might be to life, and even write stories from the eyes of space explorers discovering new worlds!

 

March 14: Katy Payne: Bioacoustics Engineer

Katy Payne is a bioacoustics researcher who studies how animals like whales and elephants use sound to communicate. She discovered that humpback whale songs change over time and that elephants use deep, low-frequency sounds to talk across long distances. GEMS can explore her work by listening to real whale songs and drawing the patterns they hear, or by simulating elephant communication through vibrations and infrasound they can feel—just like elephants do with their feet!

 

April 11: Temple Grandin: Animal Behaviorist

Ready to see how thinking differently can change the world? Temple Grandin is an autistic scientist who used her unique way of thinking to understand animals like no one else could! Her visual thinking and deep empathy helped her design better spaces for animals and change how people see both animals and autism. In this workshop, we’ll celebrate the power of different minds as we observe animal behavior, use our senses to solve problems, and explore what it means to think outside the box!

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May 9: Hedy Lamarr: Inventor

Hedy Lamarr was a Hollywood actress and brilliant inventor who helped develop a technology called frequency hopping, which is now used in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. During World War II, she co-created a system to keep radio signals from being jammed, helping protect military communication. GEMS can explore her legacy by sending secret coded messages or testing how different materials block signals—just like Hedy’s invention aimed to do!

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​​*Workshop themes are subject to change depending on guest speakers. Stay tuned to this page for updates.