NASA astronaut to headline STEM conference

ABINGDON, Va. – The Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center will host the fourth annual STEM conference Friday, Nov. 13, for area sixth-graders.
About 700 sixth-grade girls from middle schools in Bristol and in Washington, Smyth and Russell counties are expected to attend the conference, which focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics as a way to encourage young women to pursue careers in those fields.
The girls will attend various workshops led by women professionals during the school day. The keynote speaker for the event will be NASA astronaut Kathy Thornton.