The winter STEM camp in Zagreb has concluded!
As part of the “Girls own STEM” project, the winter STEM Camp took place from January 29th to February 1st, 2023. A total of 49 high school girls from all over Croatia participated!
During the camp, the girls attended two panel discussions and seven workshops designed to familiarize them with STEM, develop their skills, and empower them to bring their own ideas to life throughout the project. Another goal was to connect them with like-minded peers from different parts of Croatia, as well as with successful STEM professionals.
Beyond workshops and panels, the camp also included two evenings of informal STEM activities and an educational walk through Zagreb, reinforcing the participants’ knowledge and confidence for future involvement in STEM and their careers.
The camp officially opened on Sunday evening, led by Jelena Likić, president of Bioteka and project leader of “Girls Own STEM.” The participants were welcomed, introduced to the Bioteka team that would support them throughout the camp, and presented with the program schedule.
Monday began with an engaging workshop featuring guided games designed to foster connections and create a comfortable environment, led by Bioteka educators Katarina Horvat and Mia Šepčević. This was followed by a lecture titled “What is STEM and Why is It Important?” delivered by Kristina Duvnjak, vice president and education program coordinator at Bioteka. Next came the workshop “STEM You Don’t Learn in School – Science, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Creativity,” led by Jelena Likić. In these sessions, the girls explored interdisciplinary STEM concepts, tackling challenges such as “Mars Colonization” and “ChatGPT.” They demonstrated their knowledge, creativity, and ability to articulate innovative solutions when placed in an inspiring and encouraging environment.
The following panel discussion, “Why is Gender Equality Important for STEM?”, featured:
- Nataša Kapov Kostovski, entrepreneur, geodesist, and organizer of the ICT Supergirls conference
- Jelena Filipaj, Marketing Operations Manager, Infobip
- Rosa Karlić, scientist and associate professor, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb
- Snježana Ivezić, Head of Digital Services Unit, Ericsson Nikola Tesla
By engaging with these accomplished women, the participants gained valuable insights into their career journeys and the challenges they had to overcome. The panelists encouraged the girls to pursue their dreams without fear of making mistakes, emphasizing that failures serve as lessons that can shape future success.
The day concluded with an “Evening of Informal STEM Activities”, where the girls conducted experiments, built robots, explored technological innovations, and played board games. This session was led by Bioteka educators Katarina Horvat and Mia Šepčević.
On Tuesday, the day started with the “Breakfast with Creators” panel discussion featuring:
- Aleksandar Gavrilović, Secretary of the Croatian Game Developers Cluster
- Darian Škarica, CEO, Delta Reality
- Maja Ovčarik, Embedded Software Development Team Lead, Rimac Technology
- Hrvoje Prpić, President of the Croatian National Association for E-Mobility (Strujni krug)
This discussion highlighted green technologies, AI applications in everyday life, and career opportunities in the gaming industry. The girls received practical advice on programming, design, and finding quality educational resources for further learning.
The day continued with the interactive workshop “STEM and Communication Skills,” where participants improved their presentation abilities with guidance from 3M instructors:
- Irena Bajan Varat
- Maja Jukić Franušić
- Klara Kolovrat
An educational city tour followed, called “STEM in the City,” which included a guided walk through Zagreb’s city center and a visit to the Zagreb City Museum. Leading the tour were 3M experts:
- Irena Bajan Varat
- Ana Nagy
- Mirela Potkonjak
- Helena Boršić
- Jagoda Matijević
The day ended with another “Evening of Informal STEM Activities,” where Bioteka volunteer Vanja Novosel introduced the girls to her passion for birds and birdwatching.
Wednesday was dedicated to developing ideas for local STEM projects that the participants will implement in their communities as part of the “Girls Own STEM” project. The workshop “STEM in the Community – How to Identify and Solve Local Problems” helped refine these ideas, followed by “Next Steps – What Comes Next?” where concrete project plans were developed. Both sessions were led by Jelena Likić.
The camp concluded with project evaluations and heartfelt farewells, as the girls prepared to return home. Emotions ran high as participants said goodbye to newfound friends and reflected on the enriching experience.
We believe that the girls left the camp full of ideas and motivation to continue their journey in STEM, and we eagerly anticipate the projects they will develop in their local communities!
A huge thank you to all the guest speakers who took the time to share their knowledge, experiences, and positive energy with our participants.
Finally, here are some thoughts from the participants themselves:
“I was impressed by the accessibility of the organizers, their dedication, effort, and passion for the project, as well as the program’s excellent organization. I was also amazed by the incredible talent of my peers. If the future is in our hands, then our country has a very bright future ahead.”
“I am extremely grateful for the amount of knowledge shared by the educators while also creating a wonderful, welcoming atmosphere for us.”
“I loved everything, especially the communication skills workshop, the informal STEM activities, and the hands-on experiments. It was all so incredibly exciting! I learned so much, and I know I will continue learning as I work on my project.”
“I was most inspired by listening to women in STEM and hearing their encouragement to continue pursuing a STEM career.”
“I truly appreciated the working atmosphere – I never felt pressured; I felt like I belonged here. It meant so much to me that the educators and most panelists were women.”
“One of the most valuable lessons I learned in this camp is that mistakes are a part of life. We should learn from them and never give up.”
“I gained so much knowledge, from public speaking to project management. The informal STEM activities were my favorite part – discussing future innovations and careers with my peers was inspiring.”
“I now appreciate myself more and feel even more motivated to succeed.”
“This is just the beginning, and I know I have so much more to learn about STEM. But for now, I’ve learned how to be confident, how to work on projects, and that my passion can lead me to success regardless of my formal education.”
“Meeting girls from different parts of the country, from diverse backgrounds, was my favorite part of the camp. We formed strong friendships in just a few days, which speaks volumes about how well-organized and meaningful this camp was.”
“A huge thank you to everyone involved in organizing and running this camp – it was incredible! I’m leaving with new friendships, knowledge, and a clear vision of my future education. The people we met here are truly inspiring!”
The project is implemented by Bioteka with financial support from 3M through the GlobalGiving foundation. Since December 2022, MET Croatia Energy has also joined as a project donor.
