Connect2STEM

By Alessandra Luckey

Phoenix families came to Connect2STEM for their children to learn more about careers in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine.

This is the largest STEM event in the Phoenix area and was expected to host almost eight thousand people.

Allison Otu, with the University of Arizona, hopes the event will inspire children to consider a future career in the STEM field.

“So we are hoping that by this event it can be that switch that turned on in a young person’s mind to say ‘You know – bio-science – I’m kind of interested in that. I’m gonna learn more,” Otu said.

Two of the more popular exhibits are the eye ball dissections and the physics bus where people can have their hands lit on fire.

Medical students from the University of Arizona taught children how to conduct an ultrasound and check a patient’s blood pressure.

First year medical student Kelby Schaefller spent the day teaching children how to perform CPR. Schaefller didn’t know she wanted to pursue a career in medicine until she worked at a hospital in Africa.

“It is so cool that there could be a kid out of this group that latter saves their grandpa or someone that they find on the street because the stuff that we have taught them,” Schaefller said.

A new exhibit this year is the Da Vinci surgery system. People could control the machine and try to hook small hoops onto little spikes.

Whether 3 years old or 60 there is an activity everyone can participate in.