In Salt Lake City, around 50 high school students recently participated in Human Innovation Day, an event aimed at giving them a closer look at potential STEM careers. Hosted by the Salt Lake School District, the Salt Lake Education Foundation, and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s Tech Lake City initiative, the event provided students with a comprehensive overview of the growing life science industry in the state.
The day began with tours of ARUP laboratories, which offer reference laboratory testing for hospitals and health centers. Following this, students visited Recursion’s biotechnology facility at the Gateway. After the tours, students engaged in discussions with professional scientists and university students studying various STEM fields.
One of the goals of Human Innovation Day was to inspire students by showcasing different paths they could take in their future careers in science. Brian Pantle, a project manager at the department of economic development for Salt Lake City, emphasized the importance of seeing faces like theirs in the industry. The event aimed to provide these students with a vision of what they could achieve in their futures and motivate them to pursue careers in STEM fields.
Mayor Mendenhall expressed her desire to grow the tech industry in Salt Lake City not just for economic reasons but also to provide students with fulfilling career opportunities. She encouraged these young people to think creatively and consider pursuing careers in STEM fields. The event targeted freshmen and sophomores specifically to help them plan for their futures and inspire them to explore new ideas that could contribute positively to the scientific community.
In conclusion, Human Innovation Day was an inspiring event that gave high school students a glimpse into potential STEM careers. Through tours of ARUP laboratories and Recursion’s biotechnology facility, as well as discussions with professionals and university students studying STEM fields, these young people gained valuable insights into what they could achieve in their future careers. The event served as a motivation for these young people to pursue fulfilling career opportunities while also contributing positively to society through science and technology innovation.