From a blind taste test with sensory food scientists, to a female gaming station, Chicago Public School's second Women in STEM Career Fair held at the Wintrust Sports Complex in Bedford Park featured representatives from almost any job you could imagine.
CPS Stem Initiatives Manager Tiffany Seay said this year, the event more than doubled in size, with roughly 650 high school girls participating from 13 STEM high schools.
"They were really excited about the individuals they had a chance to connect with last year, hoping to build more relationships with them, hoping they'd come back a second year and remember them," Seay said.
She said the goal is to introduce students to potential STEM careers they might not have known were possible.
"According to research, globally, only 20% of the workforce is held by women," Seay said. "In this space, they can actually explore and ask questions and they'll be able to see themselves, so it's easier for them if they can see themselves in the role because then they can say 'I, too, can do that.'"
Seniors at Crane Medical Prep High School Rejonae, Amari and Destiny spent a lot of time at the various medical booths at the fair.
Rejonae said she's been interested in the field since she was young.
"It really was my grandma because ever since I was younger, she has always been in the medical field," she said.
She said she also thinks it's important that there are more women represented in the field.
"I feel like especially with Black women," she said. "Every time I go to the doctor I don't really see Black doctors. I see Black nurses but not Black doctors."
Amari said she wants to be a cardiologist.
"I really want to help people that may feel helpless or feel like they don't have anyone, so I want to help them and feel like a brand new person and alive again," she said.
And Destiny said she was inspired to pursue medicine when she was 11 or 12 years old, after her father passed away.
"I feel like they could've done way more than they did," she said. "When I go into the medical field, I want to do better than what they did."