Girls Explore "Male Careers"

SALINA, KS -- More than 250 teen girls will learn about careers in traditionally male-dominated fields like aviation, banking, chemistry, construction, dentistry, digital media, food science, math, medicine, psychology and utility engineering at the 18th annual TWIST Career Day at Kansas State University at Salina, Friday, Jan. 7.

TWIST, which stands for Teen Women in Science and Technology, features 16 female professionals from Salina and the surrounding area. They'll share their career experiences with the participants, giving them an opportunity to learn more about scientific and technical fields.

Students from the Barton County schools' gifted program and Bennington, Ell-Saline, Ellsworth, Herington, Junction City, Lincoln, Marysville, Sacred Heart, Salina Central, Salina South, Southeast of Saline, Tescott, Valley Heights and Wilson high schools are expected to participate.

April Mason, K-State provost, will be the keynote speaker. She will speak from noon to 1 p.m. in the College Center Conference Room.

Mason joined K-State in January 2010 as provost and senior vice president. She came from Colorado State University, where she had been dean of the College of Applied Human Sciences since 2004. She also was a professor in the department of food science and human nutrition. Before joining Colorado State, she was associate dean for extension and associate dean for discovery and engagement in the College of Consumer and Family Sciences at Purdue University, where she conducted research in the area of trace mineral availability from plant foods as a faculty member in foods and nutrition.

Her research focuses on the availability of key nutrients from plant-based food products, which provide critical calories and essential nutrients to a large proportion of the world's population. She also presents lectures on food safety and food security. Her research has been supported by more than $12 million in grants, many from agencies within the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Mason attended the Overseas School of Rome in Italy before going on to earn her bachelor's degree in biology from Mount Union College, Alliance, Ohio. She holds a master's degree in plant physiology and a doctorate in foods and nutrition from Purdue University.