Putting their learning into Hi GEAR

  • Published
  • By Anne Morrison
  • Hilltop Times staff
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  A group of high school girls came to Hill last Thursday to take a tour in the base's engineering components as part of a camp that focuses on engineering.

The camp, called Hi GEAR, or Girls Engineering Abilities Realized, is offered by the University of Utah to women interested in pursuing careers as engineers. Since women are a minority in the career field, the camp serves as an outreach tool for women interested in engineering.

Participants in the program came June 16 to tour the landing gear facilities, the F-16 production line and the software-Avionics Integrated Support Facility where they learned about writing software for aircraft and got to see an in-flight simulator. The camp takes 25 girls from a pool of applicants through a week-long program where current female engineering students at the university guide them through daily activities involving chemical, computer, mechanical, civil and biomedical engineering.

The Science Engineering Technology and Math outreach program on base gave out scholarships to six of the girls, two of which had parents affiliated with the base. The STEM program covered the $75 fee for the week.

A-10 System Program Manager Col. Christophe Roach's daughter was one of those who received a scholarship. Roach came out to the final tour of the 309th Software Group to see his daughter interact at the camp.

"Every day she comes home and is really excited about what she learned," he said.

In order to get into the camp, the girls had to go through a strict selection process, including a letter of recommendation, a copy of their high school transcript and a letter addressing why they want to attend.

"Almost all of them have teachers who have pulled them aside and suggested attending the camp," said Deidra Schoenfeld, Hi GEAR program director.

Fran Bradshaw, the National Defense Education Program, or NDEP, and STEM outreach coordinator, spoke highly of the camp, saying, "This isn't a camp where your parents just put you during the summer."

The STEM outreach program, which is funded by an NDEP grant, also does other events.

"This is just a piece of the pie," Bradshaw said regarding the scholarships for the Hi GEAR camps. She mentioned sponsoring other events taking place on base including elementary school kids coming to the Hill Aerospace Museum to hear a presentation from F-16 pilots and tour the facility.

For questions regarding the STEM outreach program, or opportunities to volunteer, contact frances.bradshaw.ctr@hill.af.mil.