Yoky Matsuoka, recent recipient of a MacArthur fellowship, is scheduled to visit Big Picture High School on February 11. Principal Jeff Petty descibes the visit "the first step in what will hopefully be a partnership with Yoky designed to expose some of our female students to scientific research."

Yoky, a neuro-robotics expert at the University of Washington, was named winner of what the McArthurs call their "genius award." She will receive $500,000 to research how the human brain controls our limbs. She is on a quest to build the perfect prosthetic hand.

Linking Big Picture students with mentors such as Yoky can inspire students to pursue careers in areas they otherwise would not have considered.