Kansas State University

KAWSE to host 'That's a job? STEM Careers Beyond Academia' panel

Submitted by Morgan Greene

What can you do with a STEM degree? Join KAWSE, the K-State Office for the Advancement of Women in Science and Engineering, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. April 13 as we highlight four STEM careers from outside of academia. Learn and be inspired about where your career could take you. An RSVP is required to receive Zoom details.

The panelists — view complete biographies on the website — include: 

• Ariele Kramer, hydrologist at the U.S. Geological Survey. Kramer earned her bachelor's degree in physics from Kansas State University and then completed her master's degree in agricultural meteorology at Iowa State University. She originally wanted a career in meteorology but quickly evolved into applied climate research.

• Diana L. Restrepo-Osorio, geographer at the U.S. Geological Survey. Restrepo-Osorio is originally from Colombia, South America. She earned a doctorate in geography from the department of geography at the University of Kansas, where she also obtained a master's and bachelor's degree. She graduated as a McNair scholar and is a proud first-generation graduate.

• Rachael Rost, education specialist at Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center. Rost is the education program manager at the zoo, where she has worked for eight years. Her mission is to increase environmental literacy within her community and she was named a Top 30 Under 30 Environmental Educator by the North American Association for Environmental Education.

• Penny Warren, senior manager at Ball Aerospace. Warren had the pleasure of working on the Kepler mission as a principal engineer for Ball Aerospace, the Colorado aerospace company that built the Kepler instrument and spacecraft for JPL and NASA. Warren received a bachelor's degree in physics from Kansas State University in 1987, a master's degree in physics from Purdue University in 1990, and a doctorate from Purdue in the field of experimental high energy nuclear physics in 1996.

The event is open to all students. Questions can be sent to kawse@k-state.edu.