Female food scientists from Wixon Inc., a St. Francis-based manufacturer of seasonings, flavors and technologies for the food and beverage industry, recently led several interactive workshops during a day-long conference designed to peak girls’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math.
Eighty-five girls, ages 11 to 14, participated in the 7th annual Girls in Engineering, Math and Science (GEMS) event on May 30 at the University of Wisconsin – Waukesha campus.
This year’s session, “A Sticky Situation,” was led by food scientist AnnMarie Kraszewski; food technologist Kim Cornelius; food technologist Rita Singer; and Lisa Andrews, research and development administrative assistant. Students learned about the different types and functions of gums with both a presentation and by formulating their own chewing gum. This is the fifth year that Wixon participated in the GEMS conference.
“This is a unique opportunity to encourage middle school students to pursue interests in STEM fields, like the food and beverage industry,” Kraszewski said. “Workshops like Wixon’s help open opportunities for girls that they may not have even known existed. We are honored to be part of this rewarding event and share our expertise in a fun, hands-on setting.”
