William D. Mensch Jr., 60, never thought he’d become an electrical engineer.

Youths from Arizona and California will compete in a number of technological challenges from graphic design to computer troubleshooting during the second Techathalon hosted on Saturday by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale.

Want to try skydiving? How about testing your bow and arrow skills against a large purple enemy or fighting off zombie heads before they attack you?

CHICAGO - Pocket-size throat sprays. Thin strips that melt in your mouth. Freezer pops. Like Mary Poppins with her spoonful of sugar, the makers of cold remedies are offering creative ways to help the medicine go down.

As a preliminary step toward confronting Arizona’s serious — and growing — gap in highway construction funding, the state Legislature last year provided $307 million in general tax dollars to accelerate freeway building. But the money came with a catch, as lawmakers said they wanted most of this “extra” money spent in Arizona’s population centers of Maricopa and Pima counties.

As staff at the Mesa Arts Center began preparation for its second “Festival of Creativity,” MAC executive director Cindy Ornstein said the group was looking for something to pique their interests — a spark, of sorts.

Maricopa County transportation director John Hauskins has been honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Arizona Society of Professional Engineers.

A volunteer team of engineers at Microchip Technology in Chandler is already planning work on a second spacesuit satellite that they hope will be launched next year. Two weeks after being released from the international space station, the world’s first orbiting spacesuit satellite — called SuitSat-1 — continues to transmit signals and offer new surprises for the Microchip engineers who built some of the makeshift satellite’s electronics.

A volunteer team of engineers at Microchip Technology in Chandler is already planning work on a second spacesuit satellite that they hope will be launched next year. Two weeks after being released from the international space station, the world’s first orbiting spacesuit satellite — called SuitSat-1 — continues to transmit signals and offer new surprises for the Microchip engineers who built some of the makeshift satellite’s electronics.

Sustainability, medical, mechanical engineering and military problems don’t have to be solved solely by private corporations or government agencies.

Work by Mesa Unified School District junior high and high school students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) will be displayed during the Secondary STEM Showcase. The showcase features one, two and three dimensional exhibits. Exhibits will be open to the public is 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at Historic Irving (Creative and Performing Arts Department), 155 N. Center St., Mesa

Wilkes University has received approval from the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education to offer degree programs in Mesa.

SAN FRANCISCO - Apple Computer Inc. will pay $100 million to rival Creative Technology Ltd. to settle five patent lawsuits over technology for navigating through songs on the popular iPod digital music player, the companies said Wednesday.

Gilbert Unified School District’s before- and after-school program, known as VIK Club, earned one of nine $1,500 STEM grants from the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence and Cox Communications. The grants were awarded to programs that “support creative efforts to incorporate science, technology, engineering and math into today’s curriculum,” according to a press release.

Research. Bioscience. Creativity. These are the buzzwords flying around Arizona State University and part of ASU President Michael Crow’s grand plan to propel the university to national prominence.

Google’s famous corporate culture emphasizing openness and collaboration is continuing to evolve as the company expands around the globe, according to the executive who is leading the expansion of the company to Tempe.

Google’s famous corporate culture emphasizing openness and collaboration is continuing to evolve as the company expands around the globe, according to the executive who is leading the expansion of the company to Tempe.

We often hear that it takes a village to raise a child. This was evident in a recent partnership between Kyrene School District, Science Foundation of Arizona and Arizona State University. Thanks to a generous grant and the dedication of teachers, ASU students and professionals, Kyrene middle school students were able to participate in an amazing after-school program, the ASU Citizen Scientist Engineer @ Kyrene. Once a week, students met with ASU doctoral students and got to learn in-depth about science and its impact on our environment.

In a kids' entertainment world of expensive game systems and disposable plastic toys, there is an alternative: Make something. Play with it.

Given the heavy premiums on gas prices and parking places, automakers are offering both small cars and really small cars. GM, Toyota, Honda and Nissan all have really small models, and then there’s the aptly named Mini Cooper.

Berge Ford in Mesa hosts the new Ford GT, and J.D. Byrider's offers quality cars and creative financing.

“Amazing Women Needed for High Paying Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).” Now this is a message that grabs your attention! Exciting our future engineers, scientists and innovators is critical to the future of our economy, yet enticing women to these fields is falling behind. According to various sources, including “Economics and Statistics Administration,” women are underrepresented in these high-paying, creative fields. The numbers indicate that in the U.S., women have held only 25 percent of STEM jobs over the last decade. A 2011 report by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce found that only one in seven engineers is a female.

It was an off-hand comment, of course, but Ettore Bugatti never took it that way. How could he?