STEM Discovery Lab – When AI becomes understandable, applicable, and ours
STEM Discovery Lab continues as a space where girls not only learn about technology, but understand it, question it, and use it to create something of their own. The program is implemented within the European project STREAM IT, led by the Foundation for Management and Industrial Research (MIR), in collaboration with Startup Club Skopje.
During the third week of the program, the focus was on artificial intelligence – from understanding how it works to creating their own AI solutions.
Workshop 5 – “How does AI think?”
With Jovana Kocevska, mentor from Nebula, the girls explored the world of algorithms, data, and machine learning. But instead of dry theory, the workshop began with questions:
- What does it actually mean when we say that AI “thinks”?
- Can it replace us?
- And where are we already using it – without even being aware of it?
Through discussions and real-life examples, the participants discovered how data is transformed into models and predictions, and how recommender systems, applications, and digital tools function “behind the scenes.”
When asked what they found most interesting, the answers were clear:
“The discussion about whether AI can replace humans and the explanation of how AI learns from data.”
“The most interesting part for me was when we discussed AI in everyday life.”
The workshop didn’t just provide answers – it created space for critical thinking.
Workshop 6 – “AI in Action: from a real problem to a smart solution”
If the fifth workshop was about “why” and “how,” the sixth was – “let’s try it.”
With Stefan Petrushevski, mentor from Nebula, the participants worked entirely hands-on. In small teams, they defined a real problem and followed the process:
problem → data → AI processing → solution
Using the tool n8n, they created their own workflows, connected tools, defined the role of AI, and tested the output. From an idea on paper – to a functional prototype.
As they shared:
“The workshop was completely hands-on, so I could try out how n8n works myself… I better understood how different tools can be connected and communicate with each other.”
“The most interesting part was when we created a simpler solution to our own problem, because you learn the most through practical work.”
That was exactly the goal – to experience the process of creation.
From curiosity to confidence
These two workshops showed that when girls have a safe space to ask questions, experiment, and make mistakes – they not only understand technology, but also see that they can shape it themselves.
STEM Discovery Lab continues to be a place where AI is not a mystery, but a tool.
And the future is not something to wait for – it is something to create.
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