Barbara Stewart

Lori Ruff will be the guest speaker at the Southeast Valley Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) on Jan. 20, 2020, in Classroom 1 at Sun Lakes Methodist Church. Gathering time is 4 p.m., and the program begins at 4:30 p.m.

Ms. Ruff is the Robotics coach for Chandler Unified School District Community Education. A retired engineer with 28 years’ experience, she now teaches both Intro to Robotics and Competition Robotics to fourth through eighth grade students. In addition, she coaches elementary, middle school, and high school robotics teams that are internationally competitive.

She is passionate about inspiring and encouraging girls to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) interests. Most of her teams have both boys and girls, but she has also formed some girls-only teams, one of which she hopes to bring to our meeting so we can actually see the robots they have designed and created in action.

Lori will discuss the challenges girls face in STEM fields and her efforts to overcome barriers in public schools. The energy she puts into recruiting and supporting girls and advocating for them in the schools and in the community is felt by everyone who hears her speak.

Since 1881, The American Association of University Women (AAUW) advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. AAUW has a nationwide network of more than 100,000 members and donors, 1,000 branches, and 600 college/university institutional partners. AAUW is one of the world’s largest sources of funding for graduate women. The AAUW invites all who hold an associate or higher degree from an accredited college or university to join.

For further information on this program or membership, go to http://southeastvalley-az.aauw.net.