PLANNING COMMON MENUS PROVIDE NUTRITIOUS MEALS THAT THEY'LL ENJOY. SPEAKING OF SCHOOLS, EDUCATION NATION FOCUSES ON MAMMOTH FEATS OF SCIENTIFIC LEARNING AND IT WAS HAPPENING AT THE EXPLOREATHON WHERE SOME OF THE SMARTEST WOMEN IN THE COUNTRY SHOWED WHAT'S POSSIBLE IN THEIR FUTURES. PAULA TUTMAN HAS THE STORY FROM BLOOMFIELD HILLS. Paula: I WISH YOU WERE ABLE TO SIT IN ON THE WORKSHOP WITH ME. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENGINEERING STUFF THAT COULD BE A SNORE, RIGHT? BUT THAT DEPENDS ON WHO IS TEACHING IT AND HOW. WHEN YOU DRAW THE MAGIC OF SCIENCE, THAT'S WHEN THE LEARNING GETS FUN. IT STARTS OUT AS THE POWDER. LIQUID IS ADDED TO THIS AND IT WILL JELL UP IMMEDIATELY. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT OUR DIAPERS TO DO. Paula: THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE DISPOSABLE DIAPER A WORK OF ART. THEY PUT THE GIRLS IN SCIENCE, MATH, AND ENGINEERING-BASED WORKSHOPS. OH, MY GOD! Paula: AND SHOCKED THEM INTO REALITY. THE THING ABOUT PLASTIC IS THAT YOU CAN MAKE IT LOOK AND FEEL LIKE WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO LOOK AND FEEL LIKE. Paula: THE REALITY THAT THEY'RE WANTED AND NEEDED IN THESE FIELDS. COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR FEMALE ENGINEERS SIMPLY BECAUSE WE PROBLEM SOLVE DIFFERENTLY THAN MEN, AND THAT THEY APPROACH PROBLEM-SOLVING ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL. Paula: THIS IS THE 15th YEAR FOR THIS PROGRAM SPONSORED BY THE BIRMINGHAM BRANCH OF AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN TO LURE YOUNG WOMEN INTO TRADITIONALLY MALE FIELDS. WOW! I DIDN'T KNOW ENGINEERING WAS THAT DEEP. WHEN YOU THINK OF ENGINEERING, YOU THINK OF CARS AND HOW THEY MOVE. AND THIS IS PLASTIC, WOW! Paula: SO HOW DO YOU ENTICE A TEENAGE GIRL TO BE ENGAGED IN ANYTHING, LET ALONE SCIENCE? SHOW THEM! SHE TALKED ABOUT HER FEAR OF SPIDERS AND HELPED A TARANTULA WITH A BROKEN LEG. THEY ALSO STORE ALL OF THEIR FAT IN THEIR TAILS, SO YOU CAN TELL IF THEY'RE SICK IF THE TAILS ARE PENCIL THIN. Paula: THERE WAS A BEHAVIORAL PSYCHOLOGIST WITH A REAL CASE STUDY. I LIKED THE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND I WORKED WITH MY PARTNER WHO WAS REALLY COOL FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL AND WE ACTUALLY TALKED, AND IT WAS NICE TO MEET A NEW PERSON AND MAKE A NEW FRIEND. Paula: AND A REAL-LIFE LADY RACE CAR DRIVER. DO THINGS TO SHOW THAT WOMEN AND GIRLS CAN DO AS GOOD AS MEN IN A LOT OF THE PROFESSIONS. RACING IS ONE OF THEM. ENGINEERING IS ANOTHER. Paula: AND WHO KNEW, POLYMERS AND PLASTICS ARE ACTUALLY FASCINATING? I THOUGHT, IT WAS AMAZING! AND IT WAS FUN TO DO AND WATCH. AND LIKE NOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT MAGIC IT IS. Paula: YOU HEARD OF SHOCK AND AWE, BUT HOW ABOUT THE VALUES OF OOHS AND AHHS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN TODAY.