Brady Gatten: Mind on the Future

It's hard to keep up with Brady Gatten.

His mind moves at lightning speed, jumping from chemistry to theater to the future of technology. That curiosity has helped make him one of Coeur d'Alene High School's top students and earned him the distinction of salutatorian with a 4.52 grade-point average.

When Brady earned a perfect score on an AP Chemistry exam, he described the experience as "exhilarating." After spending countless hours preparing, he felt ready for every question.

"I believe the recognition is nice, but I have a sense of pride in all of the work I have done here," Brady said.

Among his favorite classes was AP Chemistry, taught by Erik Karns.

"Mr. Karns is one of the greatest teachers ever," Brady said. "Despite the class being very, very difficult, he makes it incredibly fun."

Brady's passion for learning extends beyond science. He also performed in the CHS theater program's production of "Hadestown: Teen Edition."

"I do it because of the art we get to create, and I have a lot of friends in theater," he said.

What makes Brady unique is the way he approaches the world. He can recall teachers, assignments and schools from throughout his academic career, and he traces his love of learning to a moment in second grade.

After school one day, he watched a four-hour documentary about dragons.

"It wasn't about whether dragons were real," Brady said. "It was interesting because they approached the topic as if they were real and what that would look like. It really sparked my curiosity for everything."

That curiosity has never faded.

Today, Brady is fascinated by emerging technologies that could transform lives. He plans to attend Brigham Young University this fall and is considering chemical engineering as a pathway into fields that blend biology, computing and engineering.

"I have ambition to improve myself and a deep curiosity for the world," Brady said. "The world is changing so rapidly. I am excited because I don't know what is going to happen."

One area that particularly captures his imagination is brain-computer interface technology, which could help people with paralysis, blindness and other disabilities interact with the world in new ways.

"Being able to help improve the lives of others is the reason I am interested in this new field," Brady said. "It's almost magical."

He is especially interested in the engineering required to connect the human brain with computers.

"It's being able to help people with disabilities connect their brain to computers," Brady said. "For example, people who are paralyzed could use computers to help them communicate, work and interact with the world. It's newer technology, and it's really interesting to me."