EWEEK 2006
ENews # 12 – January 25, 2006
Engineers Week 2006 will be celebrated February 19 - 25. Feel free to forward this letter or contents to other interested parties.
Contents:
1. You Can Connect
2. Engineers Without Borders – USA
3. A, B, C's of Engineers Week Products Online
4. In Local News
1. You Can Connect
The series of Webinars for "Connecting Educators to Engineering" continues. "Preparing Education and Engineering Students to Work Together" takes place January 31 at 11:00 AM EST. The session is led by Valerie Maier-Speredelozzi, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston. On February 3, Douglas Gorham, Director of Educational Outreach for the IEEE, leads "Connecting Engineers with the Pre-University Community." This session starts at 10:30 AM, EST. All workshops are free.
2. Engineers Without Borders – USA Hosts International Meeting
Engineers Without Borders – USA hosts its International Conference on February 16-18 at Rice University in Houston, Texas. The conference title is "Building, Teaching, Learning – One Community at a Time." The Engineers Week coalition began promoting Engineers Without Borders – USA for Engineers Week 2005. The hallmark of EWB – remedy an engineering need and leave the community able to fend for itself – has made it a welcomed presence for people around the world.
3. A, B, C's of Engineers Week Products Online
The "Ask an Engineer" DVD, bright buttons and cool caps are available in the Engineers Week 2006 Product Catalog. Supplies available while they last so don't wait to order. Visit the Product Catalog on www.eweek.org.
4. In Local News
Can a few students save Tulane engineering? Burdened with $250 million in property damage and more than $90 million in operational losses from Hurricane Katrina, Tulane University in New Orleans was faced with incredibly difficult choices about how to lead the university into solvency. On December 8th, 2005, Scott Cowan, the President of Tulane University, announced the board's decision to eliminate the departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Mechanical Engineering. The two remaining departments in the School of Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, will be merged into a new School of Science and Engineering. Within 12 hours of this announcement, a few Tulane Engineering students founded "Save Tulane Engineering," an organization dedicated to reinstating the lost departments.
The Mid-Hudson (New York) National Engineers Week banquet takes place February 21. One of the keynote speakers is Colonel Stephen Ressler, Ph.D., P.E. Col. Ressler, vice dean for education at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, was part of a civil engineering team that designed, built, and tested a full-scale working replica of an ancient Roman battering ram for a Discovery Channel documentary. Col. Ressler will describe how the team designed the ram and then overcame challenges to build and test it under austere conditions in Morocco.
The Baltimore, Maryland, Museum of Industry (BMI) will host the 2006 Maryland Engineering Challenges, beginning January 28, 2006. The Maryland Engineering Challenges are a series of free competitions for groups of young people in Grades 1-12 from public and private schools, clubs, and individual families. Groups work for months at home or school to create their own project, which is then demonstrated at the event. Each group submits a written report two weeks in advance of the challenge and an oral presentation on the day of the event. Challenges in 2006 include Safe Racer, Theme Park, and Paper Plane Challenges for elementary school students; Maglev, Hovercraft, Straw Bridge, Future City, and Recycling Challenges for middle school students; and, Robot, Mars Rover, Cargo Plane, Cargo Ship, Wood Bridge, and Manufacturing Challenges for high school students. The Engineering Challenges are sponsored by the Baltimore Museum of Industry, the Technology Education Association of Maryland, the Engineering Society of Baltimore, and the TIME Center at the Community College of Baltimore County. For more information visit their website www.thebmi.org.
ENews # 11 – January 20, 2006
Engineers Week 2006 will be celebrated February 19 - 25. Feel free to forward this letter or contents to other interested parties.
Contents:
1. Connect to Educators through Webinar Series
2. Visioneering 2006: Athletics of the Future
3. In Local News
1. Connect to Educators through Webinar Series
The first in a series of eight Web seminars as part of Connecting Educators to Engineering takes place on Tuesday, January 24. The purpose of the "Webinars" is to offer accessible and timely workshops for engineers to work with middle school educators. To find information and to register, visit www.eweek2006.org.
The first two sessions are
(1) January 24, 4:00 pm EST: Learning to Make a Difference with Educators
(2) January 25 at noon EST, Betty Shanahan, Executive Director & CEO, Society of Women Engineers, leads: How Companies Can Get Involved.
The leaders for "Learning to Make a Difference" are Noreen C. Campbell, Safety Manager – C&CT Platform, E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co. and Gary R Dainton, Managing Partner, Learning Connections Resources, LLC.
Engineers will engage more successfully with educators by understanding the differences between how engineers learn and how teachers learn and teach. In this Webinar, participants will find tools and strategies to assist in planning and conducting more effective classroom activities. They will have an opportunity to examine the patterns most commonly used by teachers in the classroom, how they are similar to or different from those commonly used by engineers and how those differences can lead to difficulties. As an added benefit, participants will be able to apply what they learn about their own combination of learning patterns to becoming more successful at work. To gain maximum benefit from this Webinar, it is recommended that participants take the Learning Combination Inventory prior to attending. This can be taken online at www.LCRinfo.com. The LCI is a statistically valid and reliable instrument that measures the degree to which an individual uses four interactive learning patterns. A conference discount for access to the LCI has been arranged from January 6, 2006 through April 1, 2006.
2. Visioneering 2006: Athletics of the Future
Visioneering 2006 is set to explore engineering in the sports industry. From safety equipment to bigger, better arenas to sports medicine, engineers make sports more entertaining, competitive and safer. Visioneering 2006 will include a live event for Dallas-Fort Worth area students and a television show broadcast nationwide on Channel One.
The live event will draw 1000 area middle school students and their teachers to Southern Methodist University on February 18, making this the biggest Visioneering event yet! Students, working engineers, innovators, and celebrities will come together to celebrate the ways engineering makes a difference in our lives. Students "play engineer for the day" as they work on design teams with engineering mentors to create their concept of athletics of the future. The television show airs nationwide May 17 on Channel One. The show will follow two students as they prepare for and participate in Visioneering 2006.
Sponsorships are still available. Sponsors have the opportunity to interact one-on-one with the students throughout the day as well as showcase their company, people, and products. Engineers are needed to serve as team leaders and judges. Engineers and teachers may request copies of the "Visioneering 2006" television show for use in classrooms or other outreach activities. Teachers may register a team of 10 students to attend the live event. Register on-line ..
Contact Betsy Willis at 214-768-1732 or bwillis@engr.smu.edu
3. In Local News
Each year, Intel encourages employees to participate in National Engineers and Technicians Week (NETW). Some Intel sites participate in a week-long event, while others allow volunteers to present anytime during the month of February. This year the event is extended for the entire month of February at the Rio Rancho, New Mexico, site. It's an opportunity for Intel employees to go to local schools and excite students about math, science, engineering, and technology, while earning money for schools through the Volunteer Matching Grant Program (VMGP)! For every 20 hours Intel employees spend volunteering in schools, the Intel Foundation will donate $200. For the New Mexico program contact Szilvia Ferko at szilviax.ferko@intel.com.
Worcester (Massachusetts) Polytechnic Institute will host a half day session for area middle/high school girls and their parents/teachers in honor of Engineers Week. The program is being held on February 3rd due to local school vacation conflicts. The event will include a panel with students, faculty, and staff from admissions, tours of engineering labs, a robotics demonstration, a SEGWAY demonstration, reception with campus Society of Women Engineers chapter and a break-out activity with a presentation of results to follow. Visit www.wpi.edu/Admin/Women/Girls/IGED/
Argonne (Illinois) National Laboratory will hold its fifth annual mentoring day for middle school girls. The idea is to allow students to get a glimpse of a career in engineering and interact with a woman engineer for the day. The students will gain the following: 1) Positive, real-life examples of women in engineering; 2) Answers to questions like "Why do I have to learn this?" and "Would I want to make engineering a career?"; and, 3) Insight into a job in engineering from the people who know best – working professionals. Contact kirsten@anl.gov.
For the second year in a row, the Delaware section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, in conjunction with ATK in Elkton, Maryland, will provide an opportunity for 6th – 8th grade girls to visit with engineers of various disciplines and discover what a typical engineer's work day is like. Activities will include an introduction to ATK, multiple opportunities to meet women engineers in all levels of the organization, engineering problems to solve, and a rocket motor firing. Contact timothy.dominick@atk.com.
Introduce a Girl to Engineering in Atlanta, Georgia, is the kick-off for the Georgia Engineers Week Celebration 2006. The sixth annual event is sponsored by IBM, Georgia Institute of Technology, and professional engineering firms. On February 18, 200 students will join area professional women who have chosen career fields related to engineering, math and science. These women are successful, accomplished professionals from the engineering and technology career fields – women who are living proof of how math and science abilities can be used to pursue rewarding professional careers. Contact Jamie Collins at jamie@gaengineers.org.
ENews # 10 – January 17, 2006
Engineers Week 2006 will be celebrated February 19 - 25. Feel free to forward this letter or contents to other interested parties.
Contents:
1. Free Briefing Teleconferences
2. Connecting Moderators
3. Future City Competitions in Full Force
4. In Local News
1. Free Briefing Teleconferences
How did the University of Texas at Austin grow its Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day program to accommodate 1,000 elementary school students? How does a company like ExxonMobil roll out Introduce a Girl Day through 11 sites? You'll learn the answers to these questions and much, much more during a free teleconference on January 19 at 1 PM, EST. To send questions in advance and to register for this Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day teleconference, email eweek@nspe.org subject line January 19 and you'll receive the agenda and PowerPoint slides.
On January 23 at 1 PM EST, join the outreach staff from the popular public television program "Cyberchase" for the third Cyberchase: Math in Science & Engineering briefing. Not only will you receive a free new Activity Guide for working with young students but you'll learn about building partnerships with your public television stations and community groups. Email asquire@nspe.org to receive the agenda and background information as well as the toolkit. Subject line January 23 Cyberchase. This outreach activity is already receiving rave reviews from volunteers. Please register by January 19 so that you can receive the Activity Guide in time for the call.
2. Connecting Moderators
The Engineers Week 2006 Connecting Educators to Engineering forum provides an electronic meeting place for engineers and middle school educators to participate in discussions on a variety of topics. Moderators monitor threaded discussions and keep the communication informative and timely. There may be occasions when an educator raises a question that requires an answer from a practicing engineer. Moderators are also encouraged to add comments to general discussions in other topic areas. The forums run from February 19 through April 30, 2006. Check out the forum topics. If you are interested in serving as a moderator, email eweek2006@swe.org.
3. Future City Competitions in Full Force
The regional National Engineers Week Future City Competitions are in full force this month. The national finals take place in Washington, D.C., during Engineers Week. Check out the action at www.futurecity.org. The schedule: January 20, Louisiana; January 21, Indiana, Kentucky, Milwaukee, New England, Northern Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Texas – Houston and Washington; January 28 for Buffalo, California (Northern), Chicago, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Las Vegas, Maryland, Minnesota, New York City, Philadelphia, South Carolina, Texas – North, and Washington, DC.
4. In Local News
Starting this month and running through February, promotional slides for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day and engineering outreach will run on movie screens in East Hartford, Connecticut; Houston, Texas; Annapolis Junction, Maryland; and San Jose and Santa Clara, California.
The 2006 Washington Award Banquet will be held February 24 at the Hyatt Regency, Chicago, Illinois. It will feature the 2006 Washington Award winner, Dr. Henry Petroski, distinguished author and professor at Duke University.
Post your event in the "Scheduled Events Forum."
ENews # 9 – January 13, 2006
Engineers Week 2006 will be celebrated February 19 - 25. Feel free to forward this letter or contents to other interested parties.
Contents:
1. Answer the Call. Join the Introduce a Girl to
Engineering Day Teleconference
2. In Local News
1. Answer the Call. Join the Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day Teleconference
Join representatives from ExxonMobil and The University of Texas at Austin on January 19 at 1 PM , EST, to learn how to develop, implement and grow an Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day program. We'll discuss everything from making the business case within an engineering organization to budgeting and staffing for non-profits. It's free to participate. Simply email eweek@nspe.org, subject line January 19, with your name and affiliation and you'll receive the call information.
"It is key that young women understand that engineering can be an exciting and fulfilling career that enables them to improve the lives of the people around them," said Sherri Stuewer, Vice President of Safety, Health & Environment at ExxonMobil. "By participating in events like Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, ExxonMobil is helping young women gain a better understanding of an important career and develop confidence that they can become successful in engineering."
Eleven ExxonMobil facilities in the U.S. are hosting their own Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day programs for local middle school students. Activities will range from classroom presentations to on-site tours and interactive experiments. Girls will also have the opportunity to talk with engineers and gain perspective on their careers. Last year, more than 200 ExxonMobil employees volunteered their time to spread this message to more than 700 middle school girls. This year's goal is to reach more young women by increasing the number of volunteers.
The University of Texas at Austin's Women in Engineering Program will host their 5th Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day on February 25. The event features hands-on engineering activities and discovery booths facilitated by more than 200 student volunteers for 1,000 Austin area 1st - 8th grade students. A parent from last year's program shared his thoughts on the program's impact: "I wanted to let you know how wonderful Girl Day was for my daughter, age 7. How wonderful to meet real young women who know all about science! Thanks for exposing her to other options. My words about her future can only make so much impact. Her participation today was a giant step forward."
2. In Local News
The Maryland office of the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) in Annapolis, a component of the Department of Defense, will host its second annual "Engineers Day" on February 23. The event – including two speakers - is open to all DCMA Annapolis staff, both engineers and non-engineers alike. Contact is Matthew W. Nawn at 410- 962-9789 or matthew.nawn@dcma.mil.
Engineers Week observance at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, takes place February 21 at The Citadel Alumni House with a banquet. Contact is Robert Fusarini at rfusarin@arinc.com.
Davidson High School in Mobile, Alabama, will participate in Engineers Week with group projects and contests throughout the week as well as with community engineer speakers and a culminating field day on February 24. Contact is S. Martin at semartin@mcpss.com.
ENews # 8 – January 9, 2006
Engineers Week 2006 will be celebrated February 19 - 25. Feel free to forward this letter or contents to other interested parties.
Contents:
1. Art Auction Benefits Future City Schools
2. Today's Deadline
3. SWE Engineers Week Chair Calls for Support
4. Future City Regional Competitions Begin
5. Explore Engineering Booklet Available
6. In Local News
1. Art Auction Benefits Future City Schools
Natural disasters in 2005 affected hundreds of thousands of lives. Engineers Week partners can help a group of dedicated teachers, engineers, and middle school students. We are proud to offer for unconditional sale the original painting created for the popular Engineers Week 2006 poster. All proceeds from this auction will go to the middle schools competing in the 2005/2006 National Engineers Week Future City Competition – Louisiana region. Many of these schools were devastated by the Gulf Coast hurricanes, especially Hurricane Katrina. Please read how middle school students affected by the hurricane's devastation are responding.
This art sale is made possible through the generous donation of artist Theo Rudnak and represents an amazing opportunity to own not only an original artwork but, for the first time in Engineers Week history, unlimited usage rights. Imagine the possibilities for corporate, educational, or association use. To participate in the auction, click here.
2. Today's Deadline
Today is the deadline to register for the January 11 teleconference briefing on the new Cyberchase: Math in Science & Engineering project. Once you register you will receive the dial-in information and new toolkit in time for Wednesday's teleconference. Contact asquire@nspe.org, subject line Cyberchase January 11.
3. SWE Engineers Week Chair Calls for Support
In January of 2004, the National Science Board issued a warning and a challenge. The warning concerned disturbing workforce trends that, if left unchecked, seriously threatened to erode America's technological base. The challenge focused on America's scientific, engineering, and technical communities.
According to Engineers Week Chair Patricia Welesko Garland in an editorial, "When the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and Northrop Grumman Corporation became co-sponsors of Engineers Week 2006, we decided to respond to the NSB's challenge. A new project, Connecting Educators to Engineering, was born.
"From the outset, we wanted Connecting Educators to Engineering to make a lasting, positive impact on the education system. Where prior outreach efforts had focused directly on students, influencing the lives of tens of thousands, Connecting Educators to Engineering would be different. It would form new relationships with tens of thousands of teachers, guidance counselors, and school administrators. In that way, we hoped to influence the future academic paths of millions of students.
"For added impact, we focused on the middle school years – the formative period researchers had determined to be pivotal to the development of future math, science and technology majors."
In concept, Connecting Educators to Engineering is simple. Working engineers and advanced-technologists contact local middle school educators to:
 | build engineering concepts into the existing curriculum |
| develop new technical curricula |
| serve as role models for students |
| speak to classes about the true nature of modern engineering work and the realities of the engineering workplace |
| organize after class activities and field trips |
| and serve as technical resources and advisors |
Get involved in Connecting Educators by clicking here.
4. Future City Regional Competitions Begin
The regional contests to determine the national finalists in the 2006 National Engineers Week Future City Competition start this month. The first is Hampton Roads, Virginia, on January 7. On January 14th the New York, Idaho, and North Carolina competitions take place at Rensselear Polytechnic, Boise State University, and North Carolina Museum of History, respectively. On the 18th Michigan students compete at the Rock Financial Showplace. Learn more at www.futurecity.org.
5. Explore Engineering Booklet Available
A new booklet from Sally Ride Science, What do you Want to Be: Explore
Engineering, features twelve brief biographies of contemporary women in
engineering from biomedical engineers and design engineers to chemical
engineers, robotics engineers, and more. Each engineer describes what she
does, how she got into it, and why she enjoys it. Next to each biography
there are fun activities (crossword puzzles, word jumbles, things to wonder
about) to do related to each career. This book - written especially for
readers ages 9-13 - conveys the excitement of engineering and the wide
variety of engineering careers available. It also prompts young readers to
think about the things they like to do and possible engineering careers. The
book is available in soft cover for $6 at
www.sallyridescience.com.
6. In Local News
"Engineers are Everywhere" is a new coloring book produced by the Society of Women Engineers-Detroit. The coloring book exposes very young children to engineering in a fun and visible manner. It depicts women and men in a variety of engineering occupations and working together as a team. Order forms can be found on http://www.swe.org/SWE/RegionH/Detroit/students.htm in the SWE Merchandise section. Inquiries to jennifer.morikawa@swe.org.
ENews #6 - December 20, 2005
Engineers Week 2006 will be celebrated February 19 - 25. Feel free to forward this letter or contents to other interested parties.
Contents:
1. Join the Cyberchase on January 11
2. Girls and Computers
3. Local News
1. Join the Cyberchase on January 11
Register by January 6 to participate in a January 11 free teleconference briefing on a new hands-on tool for working with young students.
The multi-media activity volunteer guide, Cyberchase: Math in Science and Engineering, was developed by outreach staff at "Cyberchase," the WNET (Channel Thirteen, New York City) PBS television program and Web site. The guide includes activities for kids, a CD-ROM with handouts and graphics, and a DVD with the Cyberchase episodes on which the activities are based. The printed guide is online.
Here's what one engineer has to say about the Cyberchase project: "This is a great addition to our outreach toolkit. We have already field-tested the Tracking Time activity with over 500 fifth graders and they were very engaged in the activity. The students were knowledgeable about the Cyberchase television show and it was easy to make the connection to their classroom studies." Rick McMaster, IBM, Central Texas EWEEK Committee.
The 2006 Engineers Week volunteer poster includes a Cyberchase activity for engineers to do with young students. The National Engineers Week Foundation will also host teleconference briefings for volunteers with Cyberchase creators and Engineers Week staff to discuss effective use of the Cyberchase: Math in Science and Engineering activity guide. Because we have a limited supply, we ask that anyone requesting a guide "qualify" to receive it by participating in one of the teleconferences. There is no cost to participate in the call and the guide is free.
Participants should contact Anne Squire at asquire@nspe.org, subject line Cyberchase January 11, to register for the call and receive the dial-in information. Participants should request the Cyberchase: Math in Science and Engineering activity guide if they do not have it already. On January 11 participants should have the new guide in hand to get the most out of the briefing. Registrations will be taken up to COB on January 6 to allow time for kits to arrive by January 11.
The January 11 briefing is the second in a series. The next briefing will take place on January 23. Each session covers the same topics; it is not necessary to participate in more than one session.
2. Girls and Computers
The Center for Women & Information Technology (CWIT) at the University of Maryland - Baltimore County has useful information on girls and computers as well as outreach programs. CWIT lists issues girls have mentioned as barriers to their use of computers. Among them:
| It's isolating. I like to work with people and computers don't allow me to do that. |
| It's all about math and numbers. I am better at talking and making friends. |
| The games are violent and that doesn't appeal to me. |
| There aren't any girls in the technology classes, and I want to be in classes with other girls. |
| I want to be a mom and technology jobs will demand too much of my time. |
| I want to be a teacher (nurse, artist, veterinarian...) and they don't use computers. |
Also visit the UMBC Website for more information and a video download "Girls Can Be Anything."
3. Local News
G.WIZ, The Hands-On Science Museum in Sarasota, Florida, presents "Strength & Structure" family activities each weekend in February culminating in the 17th Annual Toothpick Bridge Building Contest on February 25th. The Toothpick Bridge Building Contest is a collaborative effort with local companies, engineering societies and school districts for Sarasota and Manatee county middle and high school students. Contact Chris Puchalla at chrisp@gwiz.org.
The 10th Annual Children's Engineering Convention will be held February 23-25 at the Marriott West in Richmond, Virginia. Keynote speakers include Dr. Pat Hutchinson from The College of New Jersey Department of Technological Studies and director of the Children Designing and Engineering project and Dr. Christine M. Cunningham, Vice President of Research, Museum of Science, Boston, and Project Director and co-author for Engineering is Elementary; Engineering Technology Lessons for Children. The goal of the convention is to provide educators and administrators with strategies and materials that will assist participants in preparing children to explore, use, and control technology, and to become technologically literate citizens. Application of knowledge in mathematics, science, English, and history/social science will be used in hands-on designing, building, and problem-solving activities associated with technology. Full registration for the convention is $110. Special one-day Leadership registration is available. Registration forms can be found http://www.vtea.org/ESTE/convention. The convention is sponsored by the Virginia Technology Education Association, NASA Center for Distance Learning, and the Technology Service of the Virginia Department of Education. Convention hosts include the Virginia Children's Engineering Council and Children's Engineering Educators, LLC of Richmond. Contact Donna Smith, President, Virginia Children's Engineering Council, dsmith@childrensengineering.com or (804) 403-3592.
The Puget Sound (Washington state) Engineering Council (PSEC) is sponsoring two free Engineering Week fairs on February 19th. The fairs will include booths staffed by members of local engineering/technical organizations that will offer students a first-hand opportunity to learn more about engineering. The Seattle area fair is a cooperative effort with and at the Museum of Flight. The South Puget Sound fair will be held at the Commons Mall in Federal Way. For more information contact Anthony Leon at aleon@coldwork.com
EWEEK 2006
ENews #5 – December 13, 2005
Engineers Week 2006 will be celebrated February 19 - 25. Feel free to forward this letter or contents to other interested parties.
Contents
1. Have You Met the EWEEK Chairs?
2. See the USA the Engineering Way!
3. Register for TEAMS 2006
4. Local News
1. Have you met the 2006 chairs?
Have you met Patricia Garland of the Society of Women Engineers and Dr. Ronald Sugar, Chairman, CEO and President of Northrop Grumman? They are chairing Engineers Week 2006. Meet them online.
2. See the USA the Engineering Way!
The National Engineers Week Foundation is in the process of updating the Sightseer's Guide to Engineering with suggestions that come to us from engineers throughout the U.S. If you've sent a suggestion, we're working on it. If you'd like to submit an engineering-related attraction, write to eweek@nspe.org, subject line: SSG Suggestion
3. Register for TEAMS 2006
More than 14,000 high school students are gearing up to participate in the
TEAMS competition. The TEAMS competition is a one-day event that requires
students to think critically. The questions posed represent freshman-level
college engineering coursework. High school students work in teams of four
to eight to solve problems about ice cream production, energy efficiency and
supply, water systems, and space exploration. TEAMS competitions are held at
more than 100 host sites through out the United States. Most TEAMS sites are
college campuses, although some are large high schools or corporations.
TEAMS is a learning process as well as a competition. Although this is an
open-book test the problems are more logic-oriented, requiring students to
think in an analytical manner. 2006 competitions will run between February 4
and March 12 and for 2007 run February 3 through March 11. For information
and registration, visit
JETS.
4. Local News
In the greater Phoenix, Arizona, area, a coalition of engineering organizations is planning an "Engineers Day" at the Arizona Science Center and an EWeek banquet. During "Engineers Day" various professional and student engineering organizations, along with companies, display engineering projects or have hands-on demonstrations for kids to learn what it's like to be an engineer. For information contact Suzanna.Cottrell@gdc4s.com
General Dynamics in Mountain View, California, is inviting Santa Clara County Girl Scouts to explore an evening of hands-on demonstrations and discussions about engineering with women engineers as role models. Girls will learn about various fields involving the latest technology such as the internet, computer software security, audio signal processing and much more. Contact annette.haddad@gd-ais.com
Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, will host its 35th annual Career Day for Girls program on February 25 in the Technological Institute. The day consists of a keynote speaker, mini-design competition, lab tours and engineering panels. Pre-registration is required for all participants. Please contact Ellen Worsdall at 847-491-5173 or e-worsdall@northwestern.edu for more information. Registration opens January 6th and space is limited.
Families and educators are invited to join their students at the University of Texas at Austin for an afternoon of engineering fun. Girl Day gives over 1,000 first through ninth grade students a chance to have fun doing grade-specific, hands-on engineering activities, interact with over 200 students, professors and engineers from industry, and explore discovery booths hosted by student organizations, corporate partners and community organizations. Participating Girl Scouts are able to receive a Girl Day patch available through partnership with the Lone Star Girl Scout Council. Current engineering students are provided leadership and presentation skills development opportunities. For more information contact: wep@engr.utexas.edu.
Looking ahead....... The University of Dayton, Ohio, will run its 2006 Women in Engineering Summer Camp July 9-14. This residential program introduces high school women to career opportunities in engineering. Participants experience a total immersion into the world of engineering through classroom activities, participatory experiments, visits to industries, and contact with practicing women engineers. Students who have completed at least the ninth grade and are interested in science, math, or engineering can apply now. Application deadline is June 9, 2006. Tuition $325. For more information, call 937-229-3296 or email: wie@udayton.edu.
Purdue University's Women in Engineering Program in Lafayette, Indiana, will host an event for high school sophomores and juniors on February 11. Students will perform activities to learn about alternative energy sources. Lunch and campus tours will be included. Register online or contact cgss@purdue.edu.
ENGINEERS WEEK 2006
ENews #4 – December 5, 2005
National Engineers Week 2006 will be celebrated February 20-26. Feel free to forward this letter or contents to other interested parties.
Contents:
1. Join the Cyberchase!
2. Local News
3. Beyond the Sea
1. Join the Cyberchase!
Register by December 7 to participate in a December 12 free teleconference briefing on a new hands-on tool from Cyberchase for working with young students. Details below.
The multi-media activity volunteer guide, Cyberchase: Math in Science and Engineering, was developed by outreach staff at "Cyberchase," the PBS television program and Web site, working with Engineers Week volunteers. The guide includes activities for kids, a CD-ROM with handouts and graphics, and a DVD with the Cyberchase episodes on which the activities are based. The guide is free to your volunteers.
The 2006 Engineers Week volunteer poster includes a Cyberchase activity for engineers to do with young students. The National Engineers Week Foundation will host teleconference briefings for volunteers with Cyberchase creators and Engineers Week staff to discuss effective use of the Cyberchase: Math in Science and Engineering guide. Because we have a limited supply, we ask that anyone requesting a guide "qualify" to receive it by participating in one of the teleconferences. There is no cost to participate in the call.
The first teleconference briefing will be held Monday, December 12, 2005, at 1 PM, EST. (The next briefing will take place in January.) Participants should contact Anne Squire at asquire@nspe.org to register for the call and receive the dial-in information. Participants should request Cyberchase: Math in Science and Engineering guide if they do not have it already. On December 12 participants should have the new guide in hand to get the most out of the briefing.
Registrations received by COB on December 7 will allow time for guides to arrive by December 12. Registrations will be accepted after December 7 on a space available basis. Late registrants may view the guide on http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/parentsteachers/lessons_print.html and will receive a printed guide after the telecon.
This Cyberchase volunteer tool is modeled after the very popular and successful "ZOOM Into Engineering" kit, launched in 2002. This is a terrific opportunity to connect mathematics to engineering for young students.
2. In Local News
The Los Alamos Chapter of ASM and the Northern New Mexico Chapter of ASME are sponsoring their fourth annual Engineers Week event, Discover "E" 2006: Materials Science & Engineering Demonstrations Evening. Interactive and fun engineering and science demonstrations will be held February 22 at the Los Alamos High School DECA Cafeteria. This event attracts over 250 kindergarten through high school students from northern New Mexico. Please contact either Dr. Bev Aikin, bevaikin@lanl.gov, 667-1679 or Dr. Zana Konecni, konecni@lanl.gov, 665-5546 for more information.
Engineers Week Discover Engineering Family Day 2006, in Washington, D.C., will be held on February 18 at the National Building Museum. Go to http://www.eweekdcfamilyday.org for more information and to learn about the new coalition organizing the event.
Nominations are now being accepted for San Fernando Valley Engineers' Council recognition at the National Engineers Week 51st Annual Honors and Awards Banquet.
3. Beyond the Sea
If you have friends and co-workers in other countries and would like to share some of our most clever and entertaining Engineers Week hands-on student activities with them, check out new translations posted in Spanish, Mandarin, Portugese, German, French, and Russian. Translations are provided by BP p.l.c.
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To submit content or comments, or to be added to our email distribution list, please e-mail
eweek@nspe.org. All suggestions will be considered.Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers, Engineers Week (February 19-25, 2006) is celebrated annually by thousands of engineers, engineering students, teachers, and leaders in government and business. In 1988, the National Engineers Week consortium expanded its scope and now includes more than 100 engineering, scientific, and education societies and major corporations dedicated to enhancing the public understanding of the engineering profession and to promoting pre-college interest in math, science, and engineering as a career option.
EWEEK 2006
ENewsletter #3 – November 15, 2005
National Engineers Week 2006 will be celebrated February 19-25. Co-chairs are Northrop Grumman Corporation and the Society of Women Engineers. Feel free to forward this letter or contents to other interested parties.
Contents:
1. All Out for Girl Day 2006
2. Fast Facts
3. New DVD Now Available
4. Welcome New Partners
1. All Out for Girl Day 2006
With a sharpened focus on diversifying the ranks of engineering, the sixth annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day will be an all-out effort for 2006.
"Girl Day," as it's known among engineers, is one of the most crucial components of EWeek outreach. Women engineers, with help from their male counterparts, are planning to reach as many as one million girls through workshops, tours, speaking engagements, on-line discussions and a host of other activities aimed at showing that engineering is an important career option for everyone.
Though billed as a one-day event on February 23, Girl Day actually kicks off a year of activities, including:
| The "Global Marathon For, By and About Women in Engineering" running continuously from Noon (EST) Thursday, March 23 through Noon (EST) Friday, March 24. Dozens of presentations and question and answer sessions originating from points around the globe will heighten awareness of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics issues among pre-college, college, and young career women, and examine issues such as retaining women in college engineering programs and the workplace. |
| The launch of a new book, Women Engineers: Extraordinary Stories of How They Changed Our World, from the Extraordinary Women Engineers Project. More information on the book, how to get involved with EWEP, and the full EWEP report, can be found online. |
| An advertising campaign to assist organizations sponsoring Girl Day programs to advertise their events in movie theaters. |
2. Fast Facts:
| Engineers, scientists and advance-degree technologists make up only five percent of America's 132-million-person workforce, yet more than half of America's sustained growth over the past 50 years has come from this sector. |
| Less than 15 percent of U.S. high school students have the prerequisite courses to pursue a scientific or technical degree in college. |
| Only 5.5 percent of high school seniors plan to pursue an engineering degree. |
| Women account for 55 percent of all undergraduates, yet only 20 percent of engineering undergraduates. |
| Women make up 46 percent of the total workforce, yet only 24 percent of the jobs in engineering, science and technology. |
| Approximately ten percent of engineers nationwide are women. |
3. New DVD now available
A fast-paced introduction to the wonders of modern engineering, "Ask an Engineer" follows several youngsters as they explore subway systems, an electric power plant, an aquarium, and more. The visits include a diverse selection of engineers explaining how things work. Produced by the Sciencenter in Ithaca, NY, the seven-minute program is recommended for grades 6-8. Each DVD is $5 and can be ordered through the Engineers Week product catalog.
4. Welcome new partners
The National Engineers Week Foundation would like to acknowledge new corporate partners for the 2006 campaign. They are Symantec and General Dynamics.
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To submit content or comments, or to be added to our email distribution list, please e-mail eweek@nspe.org. All suggestions will be considered.
Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers, Engineers Week (February 19-25, 2006) is celebrated annually by thousands of engineers, engineering students, teachers, and leaders in government and business. In 1988, the National Engineers Week consortium expanded its scope and now includes more than 100 engineering, scientific, and education societies and major corporations dedicated to enhancing the public understanding of the engineering profession and to promoting pre-college interest in math, science, and engineering as a career option.
Engineers Week 2006
ENewsletter #2 – October 4, 2005
Engineers Week 2006 will be celebrated February 19-25 and is co-chaired by Northrop Grumman Corporation and the Society of Women Engineers. Feel free to forward this letter or contents to other interested parties.
Contents:
1. Ask an Engineer
2. Girl Day Goes to the Movies
3. Busy Engineers Mentor Future City Teams
4. MIT Women's Initiative
1. "Ask an Engineer"
Produced by the Sciencenter in Ithaca, New York, this fast-paced introduction to the wonders of modern engineering follows several youngsters as they explore subway systems, electric power plants, and even an aquarium. The visits include a diverse selection of engineers explaining how things work. Recommended for middle school students. Seven minutes, DVD only, available from the eweek online Product Catalog in late October.
2. Girl Day Goes to the Movies
Once again this year, organizations can advertise their Girl Day program and celebrate women in engineering at local movie theaters. Pre-movie advertisements are an ideal way to reach a receptive audience of thousands, including students and parents.
Here's how it works. Engineers Week provides you with the Girl Day visual to use as background for your ad. You provide us with a small amount of text (less than 15 words), a phone number and Web site address. We find the theaters in your area. You pay only for the screen space.
The ads run twice before each movie screening, for approximately 13 seconds each time. And the price is right: most theaters charge as little as $25 per screen per week. Prices vary depending on market size, and there is a four-week minimum. So, to advertise for four weeks at a theater with six screens, the cost to your organization can be as low as $600!
It couldn't be easier. Engineers Week provides the art and creates the ad. Your organization pays only for the screen space. But, to guarantee screen space during busy pre-Oscar January and February, you must indicate your interest in the Girl Day Movie Campaign by Friday, November 11th. See eweek.org for more information on how to participate.
3. Even the Busiest Engineers Find Time To Mentor Future City Students
Like most engineers, Kate Hamilton is plenty busy. But, when asked to mentor middle school students in the National Engineers Week Future City Competition, Hamilton, a mechanical engineer with her own firm in East Longmeadow, Massaschusetts, who also runs a farm, works as a computer consultant, is an avid rock climber, and a single mother with an eight-year-old daughter, was only too happy to volunteer.
Engineers have a lot on their plates, yet hundreds find the time to mentor Future City students each year. In fact, it seems that the busier the engineer, the more likely they'll get involved with the competition.
A good case in point is Hamilton, owner and operator of Busy Bee Industries, a thriving business farm selling honey, handcreams and other products from the hive. She is also the inventor and marketer of the "Sticky Machine," a standalone unit that cultivates bee populations. An independent businesswoman with a crowded professional and personal schedule, Hamilton says the program offered too many positive paybacks for her not to help out.
Hamilton says that young people are surprisingly receptive to the rigors of engineering. "Kids respond well when you give them something fascinating," she says. "I love the feedback I get."
For more information on how to participate in a Future City program near you, click on "Regional Contacts" for participating sites and coordinators.
4. MIT Women's Initiative
The first six years of the Women's Initiative at MIT have been a terrific success with presentations being given to over 10,000 young women. Each January, enthusiastic selected female students go to middle and high schools nationwide to speak with young women about the excitement of careers in engineering. The presentations include activities to engage students in thinking about engineering concepts, demonstrations of projects on which the presenters have worked, and information about the fields of engineering and the life of an engineering student.
The primary goals of the Women's Initiative are to:
| Teach students about the field of engineering and challenge its common stereotypes. |
| Encourage school aged women to pursue studies and careers in engineering. |
| Empower and motivate young women to take the most challenging math and science courses before college. |
All companies that financially sponsor the Women's Initiative will have their logo put on all brochures and presentations and at the end of the year's program, an annual report will be sent to the company representative. For more information about this program, please visit their website, or contact Anna Michel at wi-directors@mit.edu
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EWEEK 2006 Engineers Week 2006 will be celebrated February 19-25. Feel free to forward this letter or contents to other interested parties. Contents: 1. Engineers Week 2006 Leaders 1. Engineers Week 2006 Leaders The Society of Women Engineers and Northrop Grumman Corporation will chair Engineers Week 2006, February 19-25. Read about the new chairs. You'll hear more about plans for 2006 very soon. Request a free planning kit through the Product Catalog at www.eweek.org. 2. Do You Know a New Face of Engineering? In an effort to honor the most outstanding among its youngest members, the engineering community has announced an international call for nominees for New Faces of Engineering 2006. Now in its fourth year, the recognition program is a centerpiece of Engineers Week. Each year, more than a dozen women and men 30 years of age and younger are selected as New Faces from hundreds of nominees, each submitted to the Engineers Week Committee by one of its sponsoring societies or government agencies. Each organization will have its own nomination deadline. Find the list of organizations that will nominate individuals, and the appropriate staff contacts, on eweeek.org. The top nominees will be featured in a full-page ad in USA Today, but there's more to being named one the year's New Faces than just the honor. Each engineer will also serve as an ambassador, literally representing the very face of this dynamic, essential profession to the media, the general public, and their peers of all ages. They will also be part of the Engineers Week goal to reach out to young people, including college engineering students and high school students considering career choices. Profiles of each New Face of 2006 will be posted at the National Engineers Week web site, the Engineers Week web site for middle school students, and in publications and web sites of the nominating societies and organizations. By highlighting the accomplishments of these young engineers, the program's organizers hope to shine a light on what is sometimes called the "stealth profession." Any engineer, from any discipline, 30 years of age or younger with a degree in engineering from a recognized U.S. college or university or equivalent international educational institution, is eligible. Nominees must be members of a sponsoring Engineers Week partner. See nomination form for complete details. 3. Future Cities in the Works As common as crabgrass but not nearly so easy to eradicate, small abandoned strip malls are a vexing social problem for engineers and city planners. For tens of thousands of middle school students, however, it's just another challenge to conquer in the 2006 National Engineers Week Future City Competition. Students and engineers are already working on their projects. Future City competitions will be held in 37 regions in January 2006. Learn more. 4. Thank You, Hispanic Engineers September 15 – October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. Check out eweek.org for information on the Hispanic community's |