Ahwatukee brothers watch benefits of math and science add up

If the subjects math and science make you cringe, a guaranteed job with an average starting salary of $55,000 fresh out of college might change your mind.

That’s how adulthood for Ahwatukee Foothills brothers Brad, 23, and Keith Simons, 21, has taken off, thanks to their engineering degrees from Arizona State University.

“My dad drilled it into our heads from the time we were little that math and science were important and that we were good at it, even when we weren’t,” said Keith, who graduates in May with an electrical engineering degree. “It gave us the confidence to continue.”

Brad graduated in December with a computer systems engineering degree and starts a new job as a software engineer with Raytheon Missile Systems at the end of this month. Keith also began a new job in January as a software engineer.

“They aren’t looking for someone who knows how to do the job, but for someone who can learn how to do the job,” Brad said after explaining that because the industry is always changing, it’s constant on-the-job training.

Both were in accelerated classes from the time they entered second grade at Kyrene de los Cerritos Elementary School, and continued on to college-level algebra and calculus courses when attending Desert Vista High School.

“I was always really good at it but I never really liked it until I got into high school,” said Brad, who didn’t feel challenged enough until going into pre-calculus.

Keith said he struggled with math in middle school, but was interested in the concepts and figuring out how it all worked.

Both agreed that having friends who also enjoyed math and science made it fun, which encouraged them to stick with it. They also credit their high school physics teacher for his enthusiastic way of teaching that inspired them to want to learn.

“We encouraged them as a family,” said mother Jill Simons when describing how her husband, Scott Simons, was more hands on with them while growing up, especially with homework, while she had the more nurturing role.

Scott and Jill’s 12-year-old daughter, Kelly, wants to be a veterinarian and they encourage her to do what she’s passionate about, but still stress the importance of math and science.

“It goes back to K-12. I think that women are not typically encouraged to go into engineering whereas men are,” Deirdre Meldrum, dean of the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering at ASU, said about the lack of women in the field.

A study done in 2004 by the U.S. Government Accountability Office showed that 11 percent of the engineering work force in 2003 was female. The reasons in the study for gender misrepresentation of women in science ranged from different life choices and priorities to discrimination.

Meldrum said if people realized how many things in their everyday lives were created by engineers, they would have a better impression of them and more people would pursue the career.

“It would be great if we could elevate engineers and scientists to the same level of rock stars and athletes.” Meldrum said.

It’s never too late to pursue an engineering career and it’s only four years of school compared to the rest of your life where you can reap the benefits of your hard work, Keith said.

“I think everyone has the potential to be good at math and science,” Brad said. “You’re not going to find your inspiration from a textbook. Students need to find other ways of motivation. Get curious. Take something apart and figure out how it works. Stimulate your brain!”