"Horse Flight 2," an oil painting on canvas, by Jenny Blomquist

SOCORRO, N.M. – Women’s interests, talents, and contributions will be highlighted at a two-day event hosted by New Mexico Tech to celebrate Women’s History Month. A panel of Indigenous women scientists and engineers, an art show and reception, and a free vendor fair with live music, dancing, speakers, and workshops are events planned for the annual WomenFest event March 24 and 25.

As part of the Region 3 Conference of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) at NMT March 24-26, the third annual Voices of Women panel will feature Indigenous women from across the country in interdisciplinary STEM fields discussing the intersection of culture and education for women. “Pathways to Resilience in Promoting Indigenous Success,” the panel discussion, is free and open to the public, will be held Friday, March 24, at 1 p.m. in the Macey Center auditorium. The panelists are:

• Zabari-Obyoni Bell, Diné. a 2022 biology graduate of Navajo Technical University who works as a post-baccalaureate research fellow in the Department of Microbiology at Harvard Medical School
  
• Estee Tate, Oglala Lakota Tribe,  a graduate of Fort Lewis College working toward a master’s degree in Substance Abuse Counseling and Prevention with the University of South Dakota
• Lois Wardell, Osage Nation, senior space test and evaluation engineer with Galapagos Federal Systems who received her Ph.D. from NMT, and chair of Space Force Association Women in Space 
  
• Kristina Gonzales-Wartz, Diné, assistant research scientist at the Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, who received her Ph.D. from New Mexico State University
• JoDawn White, Diné, a senior electrical engineer at Kansas City National Security Campus managed by Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies
  

Other WomenFest highlights include: a month-long art show featuring the talents of Socorro County women artists on the second floor of Macey Center, with an artists’ reception with appetizers and drink specials March 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., prior to a free performance of The String Queens at 7:30 p.m.; a vendor fair featuring live musical performances, speakers, workshops, demonstrations, and more March 25 from noon to 4 p.m. on the Macey Center grounds. More information on the performance schedule is online at: nmt.edu/pas

The WomenFest events are sponsored by the New Mexico Tech Performing Arts Series, the New Mexico Tech Graduate Student Association, American Association of University Women (AAUW) Socorro, the Rotary Club of Socorro, and Dr. Stephen Wells, president of New Mexico Tech.