Five Engineers Week Web seminars scheduled for this month

Benedict Bahner
ASME News Online

A number of activities, including the new "Connecting Educators to Engineering" program for middle school staff, will comprise this month's Engineers Week. In order for engineers and engineering students to better participate in these programs, EWeek organizers are holding five Web seminars to help you get the most out of your EWeek involvement.

Engineers Week 2006, to be held from Feb. 19-25, will also include the Future City design competition for middle school students; the DiscoverE program for elementary and secondary school students, in which engineers visit elementary and secondary school classrooms or lead extracurricular activities; and Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, which will be held on Thursday, Feb. 23.

Another major EWeek program will be the New Faces of Engineering campaign, in which a group of early-career engineers will be featured in a full-page ad to run in USA Today during Engineers Week. (For more information on that campaign, read "ASME 'New Face of Engineering' Focuses on Sustainable Future," from last month's ASME News, at www.asmenews.org/archives/backissues/jan06/106nface.html.)

The new "Connecting Educators to Engineering" program, which targets middle school teachers, guidance counselors, and school administrators, was the result of feedback that EWeek organizers received from middle school staff indicating that they were seeking this kind of support from the engineering community, according to Ronna F. Robertson, president of the Society of Women Engineers and chair of EWeek 2006.

"We need to recognize that educators are the people who can truly make a difference, for the simple reason that they're the people who are there with the young person throughout his or her education," Robertson said. "Integrating educators in the Engineers Week program teaches educators to encourage math and science, and makes them comfortable doing it."

The following free, one-hour Web training sessions were designed to help engineers and undergraduates make their Engineers Week outreach attempts a success. All you need to take part in the Web seminars is a computer with sound and the latest version of Windows Media Player or RealPlayer.

On Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. EST, Lisa Jennings of the American Society of Civil Engineers' pre-college outreach department will lead the Web seminar "Learning Standards: Building Science and Math Standards." To participate, go to www.eweek2006.org/2-7seminar on that day.

The next day at 3 p.m. EST, Betty Shanahan, executive director and CEO of the Society of Women Engineers, will present "Tailoring Your Message to Align the Ambitions of Young People With the Opportunities in Technology Careers." To take part, visit www.eweek2006.org/2-8seminar on Feb. 8.

On Feb. 9 at 11 a.m., "Connecting Engineers with the Pre-University Community" will be presented by Douglas Gorham, director of educational outreach for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers at www.eweek2006.org/2-9Aseminar.

Also on Feb. 9, Kenneth L. Smith and Kim M. Weaver of St. Mary's County Public Schools in Leonardtown, Md., will offer "Creating Effective Partnerships with Teachers." The Web seminar will take place at 4:30 p.m. EST at www.eweek2006.org/2-9seminar.

Gary Benenson, project director and professor of mechanical engineering at the City College of New York, will lead the session "Nail Clippers, Salad Tongs, and Pop-ups: Making Meaning from Mechanisms" at 2 p.m. EST on Feb. 15.

For more details on the training sessions and Engineers Week 2006 activities, visit www.eweek2006.org.

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