Young women learn of infinite career possibilities

SALT LAKE CITY — When 11-year old Mikayla Patterson first laid eyes on a real human brain she thought it was creepy, but cool at the same time.

"(It was) weird and squishy (and) gross," she said. And at the same time, the Woods Cross sixth-grader said it was exciting and interesting "to be able to touch an actual brain that had been in a real body before."

Patterson was one of about 450 students that participated in the Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Mathematics conference Saturday at Northwest Middle School. The daylong event, sponsored by ATK Space Systems, provided hands-on workshops and education for teenage girls (sixth through 12th grade) to learn about careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

For eighth-grader Evelyn Salazar of Salt Lake City, it marked her second first-hand experience handling a human brain.

"(I've been to) other workshops like this … at the University of Utah and doing (other) conferences on Saturdays," she said.

"The thought that it has been in someone's body, (that) it's not just a prop and that (it's just like the brain) in my head … is kind of amazing to actually get a chance to see it."

Despite her relatively vast organ handling knowledge, the 13-year-old said she is more interested in pursuing a career in journalism.

Salazar's choice notwithstanding, the program is geared toward exposing young women to fields that today are sorely lacking a strong female presence.

"In the industry, we need more women to (pursue science and engineering) careers," said Trina Patterson, ATK spokesperson. "Nationally, we're seeing a drop-off in about sixth grade as far as the level of interest goes."

She said one of the main priorities of the program is to ignite the imagination of the participants early on and get them excited about the possibilities that exist in math and technical fields.

"(So they can see) it's not just a guy's world," Patterson said. "(We need to) change that paradigm and (show them they) can be a rocket scientist or a doctor and still wear pink and be cool and not be a geek."

EYH is conducted in 31 states nationwide, including two events annually in Utah, with a fall event in Ogden and a spring program in Salt Lake City, Angela Trego, director of engineering at ATK, told the Deseret News. Across the country, more than 250,000 girls have participated in the program.

While the program is only in its second year in Salt Lake City, the Ogden program is in its 10th.