Volunteer Information

Women in Science Conference 2025

The Annual Women in Science conference is on March 11, 2025. This is an outreach opportunity for area middle school girls to visit the South Dakota School of Mines campus and be exposed to several science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines through hands-on activities and demonstrations and hear from inspiring speakers in STEM fields. 

Youth in Science, Rapid City (YISRC) and the Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) group from SDSM&T are calling for volunteers to help at the one-day conference on March 11th from 8am-3pm on the SDSM&T campus. We need group leaders and building monitors to help the conference run smoothly. If you are interested in speaking or exhibiting, we need your help too. 

This conference is great because of the number of fantastic local speakers, exhibitors, and volunteers. If you’re available and interested in being a volunteer, please respond as soon as possible and spread the word to others that may want to help. Responses requested by February 14th. For more information, please contact me or visit the Youth in Science, Rapid City Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/YISRC.SD/

Thank you,

Vanessa Braband, Volunteer Coordinator

Director-Youth in Science, Rapid City

volunteercoordinator.yisrc@gmail.com 

605.877.2459

Volunteers will be assigned to one or more of the following: 

Group Escort

• One escort per group    

• Students will be divided into groups of 25

• Responsible for getting group to all places they need to be throughout the day

• Make sure group stays on schedule and on time 

• Keep track of where everyone is in your group (with the help of chaperons)

• Ensure group stays together (attendees are not allowed to roam around freely on their own)

Registration

•  Process schools as they arrive

  • Give out folders to teachers and students

  • Check off school and corresponding number of students and chaperons 

  • Direct registrants to the welcome area

Lunch

• Four lunch times (30 min each with 5 min break between)

  • 11:00 - 11:30 am 

  • 11:35 - 12:05 pm 

  • 12:10 - 12:40 pm

  • 12:45 - 1:15 pm

• Each session will have 200 attendees

• Keep line moving fast

• Ensure each attendee gets food and drink

• Make an announcement 5 minutes before end of session

• Get everyone out at the end of their session so room is ready for next group

Area Monitor 

• Assigned to one floor

• Be familiar with what speakers are in which rooms

• Help speakers

  • Get logged into computers (we will provide you with login ID & password)

  • Get their presentation working 

  • Check in on every once in a while, to see if they need anything

• Make sure there are no students wandering around on their own

• Help groups get to their next sessions