Engineers Week activities on tap for next month

One of the goals of Engineers Week each year is to celebrate the contributions engineers make to the world, while raising the public’s understanding of engineering in general. Additionally, Engineers Week aims to help connect engineers with students in grades K–12 in an effort to encourage the students to pursue an education in engineering after graduating high school.

Co-chaired this year by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and Tyco Electronics Corp., Engineers Week will be celebrated Feb. 18–24.

The following are some of the Engineers Week activities taking place across the United States:

• California: Engineers Week at the University of Southern California will include a number of activities intended to grow the engineering community and enhance interaction among the student body and faculty, industry, and alumni. Some of these include the American Society of Chemical Engineering's Tallest Tower Competition, and the Society of Women Engineers' Date Auction. For more information, contact vsc@usc.edu. Also, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory invites fifth grade students, teachers, and chaperones to a celebration of National Engineers Week on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the Robert Livermore Community in Livermore. The free event will include hands-on technical exhibits, engineering contests, and presentations by professional engineers. For more information, contact Marina Stenos, ASME Public Awareness, at stenosm@asme.org.

• Kansas: The Wichita Section of the Society of Women Engineers will hold its Ninth Annual Engineering Expo on Saturday, Feb. 17, at Wichita State University's Hughes Metroplex. This free event, for students in K–8 grades, provides hands-on activities exploring various areas of engineering. Contact Vicki Johnson at Vicki.johnson@swe.org.

• New Mexico: ASME's Northern New Mexico Chapter, and the Los Alamos Chapter of ASM International, will host the Fifth Annual DiscoverE event at Los Alamos High School on Feb. 21. Volunteers are needed to provide interactive, hands-on engineering and science activities for students in K–12 grades and their parents or guardians. Contact Beverly Aiken at bevaikin@earthlink.net.

• New York: The Capital District Engineers Week Celebration runs February 15–16, at the Albany Marriott. The program includes an exhibition as well as 80 professional development seminars. Albany Mayor Gerald D. Jennings will give the keynote address at the opening luncheon. For information, contact Jennifer Miller at (518) 283-7490 or at jamiller@nysspe.org.

• Virginia: The Virginia Children's Engineering Council will host the annual Children's Engineering Convention at the Richmond Crowne Plaza West hotel, Feb. 22–24. The Children's Engineering Convention has three major components: Staff development for K–5 teachers focusing on ways to help children create, use, and control technology; teacher demonstrations on ways to infuse technology activities into the standards of learning; and a showcase of technology-based educational resources. Visit the council's Web site (www.vtea.org/ESTE/convention) to learn more, or contact Mary Hurst at mcwhurst@cox.net.

For an updated listing of E-Week activities, visit the Engineers Week area of ASME.ORG, at www.asme.org/Events/Engineers_Week_2007_2.cfm, or contact Marina Stenos at stenosm@asme.org.

To obtain an E-Week Engineer/Volunteer kit, visit the Engineers Week site, www.eweek.org/site/Engineers/kit.shtml.

back to news & features