(Video and Story Courtesy of KSL.com)

University gets young students excited about engineering 

March 29th, 2010 @ 4:05pm SALT LAKE CITY — Ask a child what a teacher or a doctor does, and they likely know the answer. Ask them what job an engineer does, many give a blank stare — but the University of Utah is trying to change that. Monday, the College of Engineering invited 1,700 fifth- and sixth-graders to campus in an effort to get students excited about math and science.

“Becoming an engineer and enjoying math and science early on is very critical to prepare you in high school, and then ultimately in college, to succeed,” said Deidre Schoenfeld, with the College of Engineering.

Sponsors of Monday’s event donated thousands of dollars to participating elementary schools to purchase math and science supplies.