AAUW’s Tech Savvy 5 conference made a difference in the lives of approximately 475 girls in Western New York! The conference theme focused on persistence and problem solving. 6th - 9th grade girls were encouraged to consider the importance of these skills currently and throughout their lives. Workshops demystified science and math by demonstrating “real world” examples of people who excel in these careers and study areas every day. While students were encouraged to consider STEM careers, special sessions were provided for parents, teachers, counselors, and other interested adults. These sessions provided helpful information about college preparedness, awareness of gender-related issues in STEM, and a chance to gather information and discuss related issues in an environment that is totally focused on education. Various features throughout the conference helped to celebrate this very special fifth anniversary event.

Our featured speaker for the day was Dr. Heather Rozzi. Dr. Rozzi is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. She completed her emergency medicine residency at the York Hospital/Penn State-Hershey Emergency Medicine Residency Program where she served as chief resident. She is currently a faculty member in the York Hospital Emergency Medicine Residency. She acts as medical director for the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) team and the Domestic Violence Examiner (DOVE) team. Her area of interests include forensic medicine, prevention, screening, and treatment strategies for victims of domestic violence, as well as, the comprehensive care of sexual assault victims. She is a Councilor for the Forensic Section of ACEP.

It was also an honor to welcome Lilly Ledbetter to TS5. For 10 years the 71-year-old former factory worker fought to close the gap between women’s and men’s wages, sparring with the Supreme Court, lobbying Capitol Hill and campaigning for President Barack Obama along the way. (Equal Payback for Lilly Ledbetter - Forbes.com) Now, The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 is an Act of Congress enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 29, 2009.

The conference was presented by the AAUW Buffalo Branch, Inc. Tech Savvy is made possible by the generous support of the Praxair Foundation; AAUW Buffalo Branch; the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University at Buffalo; WTS, Inc., and the Niagara Falls chapter of Zonta, International.