Projects designed for K-12 students to be funded by ASME Foundation grants

Six proposals that address some of the most important needs of the engineering profession will receive funding from the ASME Foundation. These grants for 2000 were made possible by ASME's World Class . . . By Design capital campaign and endowments from Leighton and Margaret Orr.

The six winning proposals range from improving science and mathematical literacy in grades K-12 to greater involvement in the formulation and application of public policy.

ASME will participate in the 2001 Boy Scouts National Scout Jamboree, thanks to a $24,000 grant. This event will launch the new ASME-revised Boy Scout Engineering Merit Badge to an expected audience of 30,000 scouts and their leaders, allowing hundreds of scouts to fulfill badge requirements, offering thousands more access to ASME guidance materials, and giving ASME volunteers needed experience as Engineering Merit Badge Counselors.

A Web-based educational module on government relations and public policy received a $15,000 award. It will provide students with exposure to the importance, issues and processes related to the interface between engineering public policy and government relations.

Case studies will illustrate the legislative and governmental structure and processes used in making federal and state policy decisions, with emphasis on the roles of the engineer and professional society member in the public policy arena.

A grant of $32,000 was awarded for the redesign and revision of ASME Mechanical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Technology Guidance Booklets for print and Web. College advisors and high school guidance counselors can use the booklets to inform and encourage student interest in these fields.

A two-year project to solicit, select and disseminate exemplary practices in the teaching of mechanical engineering design principles and practices in the high school curriculum received a $32,000 grant. The program encourages teachers to bring true engineering experiences to students, recognizes successful innovators and disseminates information about these courses and projects.

A pair of two-year fellowships for middle school science or technology teachers to work with and advise the Board on Pre-College Education were funded with a $38,000 grant.

The teachers will conduct engineering-related curriculum projects at their schools, which will be publicized within ASME and the middle school science and technology teaching communities. Mini-grants of up to $2,000 will support these innovative projects, which will become part of ASME's online K-12 curriculum resources.

The Foundation awarded $35,000 for production of a video featuring great mechanical engineering achievements of the 20th century, with a corresponding teacher's guide for grades K-12. To complement the video, a multimedia Web site will provide downloadable materials for teachers and students.

During the 2001 grant cycle, the Foundation will make awards totaling $200,000. Units of ASME that are interested in developing proposals should follow the guidelines in ASME Society Policy P-2.11 and submit them for review by a sponsoring ASME Council at the 2001 Summer Annual Meeting.

For more information, contact David Soukup, ASME Foundation director of development, at soukupd@asme.org. Or visit www.asme.org/asme/foundation.

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