Chantel Charlebois didn’t waste any time becoming involved in the community in one of her favorite causes!  She loves teaching others about bioengineering.

Chantel is one of ARCS Utah’s newest scholars, arriving in Utah last fall to begin doctoral studies at the University of Utah.  She learned about the Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) Conference in her first meeting with Karen Gunn, President and Dr. Anne Erickson, Vice President, Scholar Outreach when she received her ARCS Foundation Award.  Chantel was excited to learn that the Conference at Salt Lake Community College provides opportunities for high school and junior high school girls to learn about professions in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields.  She decided, on the spot, that she could use her biomedical engineering studies to teach young girls about exciting careers in bioengineering by participating in the EYH conference.  So, she volunteered!

Next, she invited some of her colleagues in the Graduate Women in Bioengineering group to work with her to create a workshop they will  present to participants at the March 11th EYH Conference.

In describing their workshop, Chantel said: “Our workshop will include three different activities; including using a Virtual Neurophysiology Workbench where the girls will be able to record electrical signals from their muscles and see electrical patterns through a “jello” brain. They will learn some brain anatomy as well as how our brain sends electrical signals throughout the body.  We will have another activity where the girls will design their own heart valve out of everyday materials and they will be able to make alginate worms! “

 When registering for the EYH conference, participants have the opportunity to choose this exciting workshop, as described in the registration materials:

Do you like problem solving and biology?  Do you want your innovations to help people?  If so, bioengineering could be the perfect career for you!  Become a bioengineer for a day and learn how electricity sends signals in our brains and nervous system, design your own heart valve out of everyday materials, and make alginate worms!

Wouldn’t you LOVE being a student in that workshop?

Utah ARCS Foundation is very proud to support Chantel Charlebois, 2017 ARCS Utah Scholar, both in her studies toward a PhD in Biomedical Engineering and in her work in the community!