This March, the Saint Louis Science Center welcomed a group of female gamers from Columbia, MO.
Under the direction of individuals from Columbia College in Columbia, MO, the Girls Who Game organization includes many female gamers who are excited about the esports industry and the various career opportunities it offers. The organization offers students from the Columbia, MO area a chance to learn and grow skills pertinent to gaming, including coding, PC building and game design.
“The day’s programming included an overview of production and streaming techniques used in the esports industry on platforms such as Twitch, YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming,” says Science Center Director of Guest Services Doug Stanze.
In addition to educational discussions focused on streaming, the gamers were given the opportunity to have some fun and try a variety of different games. The final session of the day included a private presentation from female staff at RIOT Games. One of the world’s most popular video game developers, RIOT is well known for games such as Science Center esports offerings League of Legends and Valorant.
“Members of the RIOT organization were on hand to discuss their career pathways and the roles that they play in creating a more inclusive industry for female gamers and game developers,” Stanze adds. “The Saint Louis Science Center is extremely thankful to Bridgette Horack from RIOT Games for providing this opportunity to these students.”
The Science Center looks forward to partnering with Girls Who Game and RIOT Games on future projects and community programming.
Esports XP Sessions Continue Following Successful Launch
After a successful launch of the new, free esports XP Sessions in the spring, the Science Center is excited to continue offering them into the summer.
Participants ages 7 and up will learn about some of the most important topics in esports: PC Building, Casting Basics, Streaming Basics and Game Design in 45- to 60-minute sessions that are bite-sized versions of the longer, paid Esports Enrichment Programs also available through the esports program.
Free tickets are available onsite and are only required for child participants; parents are also encouraged to participate.
Learn more about XP Sessions, Enrichment Programs and more offerings from our esports team.
Founding Partners
Official Partners
The Saint Louis Science Center is excited to partner with the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy (UHSP) in St. Louis on a summer esports camp series!
These weeklong experiences will bring 12- to 18-year-old gamers in the St. Louis region together with STEAM professionals in the esports, medical and technology industries from around the country, offering them a chance to experience a collegiate esports program.
From Monday through Thursday, campers visit the UHSP campus, where they learn about various careers, ask questions of local gamers and industry professionals and try new games in the UHSP Esports Arena. Camp training sessions are hands-on and deal with topics such as health and wellness as well as PC building, streaming and casting.
Campers will get to experience a variety of game titles throughout the week, and Friday will be a special opportunity for campers to experience some of the best the Saint Louis Science Center has to offer: an OMNIMAX® Theater film, a McDonnell Planetarium star show and a live STEAM Demonstration at Energy Stage. The final day will include lunch and end with a competition in the Science Center’s innovative gaming arena, featuring one of four popular games.
Camps run from June 13–17 and July 11–15 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm each day. Cost per camper is $250 and each session is limited to 30 spots.
Esports Camp Supports Esports Program
LocalHost, a gaming space in Brentwood, MO, is hosting esports camps this summer. The weeklong camps begin on June 20 or 27, July 18, or August 1, 8 or 15. Registering with the code NSGSLSC22 will save campers $50 and help support for the Science Center’s Esports Program.
SciFest: Engineering Expo Celebrates the Science and Creativity of Engineering
Showcasing engineers and the creativity that engineering is all about, more than 200 partners and presenters gathered at the Science Center to celebrate Engineers Week with SciFest: Engineering Expo. With activities, demonstrations, presentations and more, nearly every corner of the Science Center was packed with real life professionals working in engineering fields.
At activity tables across the Science Center, STEAM partners like Washington University’s Lew Lab demonstrated how technology allows scientists to see molecules in cells and other “invisible” objects. (Hear more from Matt Lew, assistant professor of electrical and systems engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, in Science Today on page 6.) In GROW, Bayer Crop Science demonstrated how to build a “brushbot,” a simple robot powered by a small vibrating motor, and The Boeing Company was on hand to let guests experience flight simulators and other activities.
This year, Engineering Expo was excited to have a number of groups and STEAM professionals representing the diversity of the engineering community. The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers offered building and engineering activities, and the Gateway Metro Professional Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers demonstrated to guests of all ages how circuits work and how to build them. And throughout the Science Center it was hard to miss just how many of the engineering and STEAM professionals present were women—a group often underrepresented in STEAM fields like engineering.