Organizing Group:
Engineering societies, industries and universities in the Rochester (NY) area. 

Brief description of the program: 
The "E³ (Engineering, Exploration, and Experimentation) Fair" is an extension of National Engineers Week but takes place in April to allow students to complete the projects they might have been making for school anyway.  (Also to allow us to hold the Fair in the RIT Ice Rink; without the ice.)  The fair is a day-long event with separate daytime and evening programs. During the day, middle school students display individual engineering projects for judging, and/or participate in a team competitions including robotics. Each team has a sponsoring teacher and a local volunteer engineer-mentor. Typically, 650 students representing 28 middle schools, participate. Encircling these exhibits, 20-30 technical engineering societies, industries, trade and educational groups display hands-on engineering and science activities for all ages. High school students also attend to gain exposure to engineering career opportunities. Total attendance runs to 4000.

Budget:
Between $7000 and $8000 is raised annually, through donations from the various engineering societies and local companies. It costs $3000 for the facility (rental, custodian, utilities, supplies for booths), $1500 for mailing, stationery, publicity, $1000 for gifts for all participants, $2000 for awards.

Number of people involved: 
A core of 12 people make up the committee.  Each year a new lead Engineering Society is selected and provides the E³ chairperson.

Contact:
For more detailed information contact Dr. Jayanti Venkataraman (1998 Chair), Dept. of Electrical Engineering, RIT, 1 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623, (585) 475-2143, or Jon Kriegel (2000 Chair)  kriegelj@asme.org at Eastman Kodak (585) 726-5114.