May 9: Hedy Lamarr: Inventor
Hedy Lamarr was a Hollywood actress and brilliant inventor who helped develop a technology called frequency hopping, which is now used in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. During World War II, she co-created a system to keep radio signals from being jammed, helping protect military communication. GEMS can explore her legacy by sending secret coded messages or testing how different materials block signals—just like Hedy’s invention aimed to do!
Join the Emerald Coast Science Center for their Girls Empowered with Math and Science (GEMS) Workshops for girls ages 8-15. Studies have shown that most girls lose interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by age 15. Their GEMS Workshops are aimed at providing girls with hands-on activities and experiences to keep them involved in STEM. Each month, GEMS will study the work of a renowned female scientist while engaging in hands-on lessons. GEMS is a free drop-off program that is fun, educational, and shows the numerous ways STEM topics can be pursued both in their future educations and as potential career pathways. If we support a young woman in STEM, then she can change the world.
