Transportation YOU Chair Michael Book Tackles Science, Transportation and the Final Frontier
On February 11, we celebrate International Women and Girls in Science Day, which is a wonderful time to highlight the efforts of Michael Book, HDR Strategic Communications Specialist and our chapter’s Transportation YOU Chair. For the past five years, he has headed our chapter’s efforts as part of this nationwide program to introduce girls ages 13-18 to careers in transportation.
“I’ve always been interested in teaching others, especially younger people,” Michael said. “I think that’s what captured my attention. I wanted the opportunity to inspire young women to consider a career in transportation and having a direct impact is what attracted me to the program.”
When Michael first got involved, the program was small with six students at Mesa’s Westwood High School, chosen for its proximity to the Gilbert Road Extension light rail project on which Michael was then working. Five years later, the program is going strong, with more than twenty students at Phoenix’s Cortez High School, near the Northwest Extension Phase II light rail project.
This past September, he was able to bring in NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir for a virtual session, something that took him nine months to accomplish since he had to schedule it through NASA. His tenacity paid off and he was able to connect students to a woman who has pushed the outer limits of possibility for humankind.
Transportation is a broad sector with many possibilities, including for those interested in science. Since he’s tackled representing the final frontier, what’s next for the participants of Transportation YOU? Michael said, “The only transportation realm I haven’t dived into yet is water. But I have ideas.”
To learn more about Transportation YOU, click here.