If science and math are your thing, the University of Utah wants you to enroll in its engineering program — now, more than ever.

"Utah industry is hungry for more engineering graduates," said Richard Brown, dean of the U.'s College of Engineering.

Brown said a new outreach program is "perfectly aligned" with the goal of putting more young people on track toward earning an engineering degree.

Expanding on the success of the Utah Engineering Initiative, set forth in 2002, the Salt Lake City university is looking to spend $2 million on recruiting high school and community college students to its flourishing engineering program.

The money is part of a five-year grant from the National Science Foundation to be used for the outreach project, specifically to increase the number of graduates going into math, science and technology-based careers.

"We're hoping this money will bring more students who are excited about engineering and the opportunities it provides," said Cindy Furse, a U. professor of engineering. She said the goal is to recruit enough students so that in five years, the number of engineering undergrads at the U. will reach 540, which is 180 more than the 360 who graduated this year.

The state's Engineering Initiative already has helped boost the number of undergraduates in such programs throughout Utah, increasing to the current number at the U. from 295 in 2000. At that time, former Gov. Mike Leavitt challenged Utah's colleges and universities to double the number of engineering graduates. Adding another 180 per year would put the U. closer to that goal.

The U. has spent $4 million on recruitment efforts and bolstering the program. The money came as a portion of $10 million the state has spent on the initiative so far. Furse said the state's investment helped procure new grant money.

"When a state starts putting money into a program like engineering, the rest of the nation notices," she said.

The U.'s new outreach efforts will include presentations of "cool, hands-on science and engineering demos" to high school groups, as well as an engineering summer camp for high school students and integrated high school course work, Furse said.

Engineers are tasked with designing, building, testing and improving various manufactured products, a job with some great flexibility, Furse said. The U.S. Department of Labor reports the long-term outlook is at — or better than — average for such skills, depending on specific areas of specialization.

"Engineers build things that help people," Furse said, adding that students in the U.'s program work throughout the year on actual projects. "We think they will enjoy engineering a lot more when they know what engineers really do and get to experience it — instead of just book learning."

She promises students who get involved with the program won't be disappointed, and neither will their parents.

"If you want to give your kid the best opportunity in the world, get your kid into engineering because the jobs are great, the stuff is fun and the people you work with are awesome," Furse said.

Working from home, starting a business, flexible schedules and enjoyable work, she said, are some of the benefits of becoming an engineer.

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