Envisioning A Stronger, More Diverse Profession, IBM and
The Chinese Institute Of Engineers-USA Launch Engineers Week 2008

Aiming to make engineering a stronger, more diverse profession, Engineers Week 2008 is unveiling a broad program of outreach and education efforts to encourage more women and other diverse groups to consider engineering careers. Co-chaired by IBM and the Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA (CIE-USA), Engineers Week 2008 – scheduled next year for February 17-23 – is expected to directly reach several million people around the world with a special focus on expanding diversity in the engineering field and in the workplace.

One priority for EWeek 2008 is diversification in communities representing women, Blacks, Hispanic/Latinos, Asians, Native Americans, people with disabilities, and gay individuals in engineering. Among those endeavors is the annual New Faces of Engineering, recognizing outstanding young men and women from many nations, working in a wide variety of engineering disciplines, who have shown extraordinary skills as new professionals in the field and provide strong role models for those who might wonder if engineering is right for them.

Another popular program returning this year is the eighth annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, which helps young women understand the importance of the work that engineers do and lets them know that the profession wants and needs them.

IBM, a long-time supporter of Engineers Week, previously served as lead corporate sponsor in 1992 and 2001. Last year, more than 4,000 IBM employees at 18 manufacturing, development and research sites and 31 field sites in the U.S. and Canada volunteered in Engineers Week programs. Additionally, volunteers from five research sites in Europe and Asia, seven development sites in Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, and Britain, and numerous field sites in Australia, Austria, China, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Vietnam joined the IBM effort. Together, they reached more than 200,000 students.

The company estimates that last year 1,700 women employees, an increase of six percent from 2004, and 1,000 underrepresented minority employees, an 18 percent increase, worked with more than 100,000 young women and 66,000 underrepresented minority students, through visits to schools, events at IBM sites, and other community activities. Overall, the number of IBM volunteers increased by eight percent.

For its part, the Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA embodies the very spirit of engineering diversity, representing Asian-American professionals in corporations, academia, and public services with more than 10,000 members in six area chapters across the country. One of its outstanding efforts is the annual presentation of the Asian American Engineer of the Year Awards, launched in 2002, the same year the institute became an Engineers Week supporter. This marks the first time that CIE-USA, founded in 1917, will co-chair the event.

As a recognition of outstanding professionals for personal achievement and significant contributions to their institutions, communities and country, the Asian American Engineer of the Year is the only program of its kind presented in conjunction with Engineers Week. This meaningful platform honors individuals for monumental breakthroughs in science and technology that have brought lasting benefit to people around the globe.

Among the 2007 award recipients were Dr. Taylor Gun-Jin Wang, the first Asian American astronaut scientist, Dr. James Wei, former Dean of Engineering at Princeton University, and Norman Mineta, who served in the U.S. Congress for 20 years before becoming Secretary of Commerce during the Clinton administration and Secretary of Transportation under George W. Bush. Previous award recipients include Dr. Leo Esaki, 1973 Nobel Prize winner in Physics; Dr. Chang-Lin Tien, former chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley; Dr. Samuel Ting, 1976 Nobel Prize winner in Physics; and Dr. Steven Chu, 1997 Nobel Prize winner in Physics.

The event co-chairs expect that EWeek 2008 will bring a renewed sense of the promise and possibilities of engineering.

“Tapping the energy and imagination of a globally diverse population is critical to the success of IBM – and of the worldwide engineering profession,” said Sam Palmisano, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IBM. “Our planet is integrating rapidly, which raises a broad range of new challenges. It only makes sense to look for solutions from the broadest range of talent.”

“CIE-USA promotes communication and information exchange among engineers and scientists to empower young professionals to become the next generation of industry and community leaders,” says CIE-USA Chairman Patrick Chang. “We are thrilled to be working with IBM to mobilize our membership and support a network of diversity that not only embraces the Asian-American community, but all communities that can make our profession, as well as our nation, stronger.”

Engineers Week, a coalition of more than 75 engineering, professional, and technical societies and more than 50 corporations and government agencies, began in 1951. It’s held each year around the time of George Washington’s birthday who, as a surveyor, is often considered America’s first engineer. Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers, the week is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers among young students and by promoting pre-college literacy in math and science. Among the oldest of America’s professional outreach efforts, EWeek also raises public understanding and appreciation of engineering contributions to society.

With a pledge to continue the rich history of EWeek programs that extend from kindergarten through college and into the workforce, Engineers Week 2008 co-chairs will offer an unprecedented scope of initiatives, including key activities such as:

• The "Global Marathon For, By and About Women in Engineering," a 24-hour Internet and teleconference event scheduled for March 20-21 at the Engineers Week web site – www.eweek.org. Created by the National Engineers Week Foundation in 2005, the Global Marathon is co-sponsored by Lenovo and Verizon Business.

• The 16th annual National Engineers Week Future City CompetitionTM. Each year, more than 30,000 middle school students at more than 1,100 schools across the country use hands-on applications and teamwork to create computer and large tabletop scale models that represent their visions of cities of tomorrow. At the same time, the students get what will be for many a fascinating first glimpse of engineer’s role in society. Under the guidance of teachers and volunteer engineer mentors, students present their designs before engineer judges at one of 40 regional competitions in January. First place regional teams win a trip to Washington, D.C. for the National Finals, February 18-20, 2008. For more information, go to www.futurecity.org.

• The eighth annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, Thursday, February 21, 2008. Thousands of women engineers – with support from their male colleagues – mentor and share firsthand experiences of engineering to more than one million girls and young women on “Girl Day” and throughout the year. For many girls, this will be the very first time they will have ever considered engineering as a potential career path.

• New Faces of Engineering showcasing the profession’s rising young stars from around the world. By highlighting young engineers and their contributions, New Faces provides stimulation and incentive for college-level students and encourages younger students to consider engineering careers. EWeek partners nominate candidates age 30 and under who must hold an engineering degree, be employed as an engineer from two to five years, and have been involved in projects that impact public welfare or further professional development and growth. Nomination deadline is December 1, 2007.

• DiscoverE provides more than 45,000 engineers with educational materials (including activity guides from the PBS television programs Design Squad and Cyberchase) to work with five and a half million students and teachers during extracurricular programs and in classroom visits to elementary, middle and secondary schools. To reach as wide a range of students as possible, translations of hands-on activity materials in French, German, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish are available at www.eweek.org/site/international/index.shtml.

• The National Academy of Engineering (www.nae.edu) presents its annual awards, including the $500,000 Draper Prize, and the 2008 Founders and Arthur M. Bueche Awards at a gala dinner in Washington on Tuesday, February 19, 2008. The annual Asian American Engineer of the Year Awards, sponsored by the Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA (www.cie-usa.org) will recognize outstanding Asian American professionals in academe, public service and corporations at its awards dinner in March.

• Engineers Week-sponsored web sites include the Sightseers Guide to Engineering (www.engineeringsights.org), consistently updated with new information on engineering marvels in all 50 states, and www.discoverengineering.org, an engineering resource for middle school students with links to hundreds of educational, professional, and corporate sites. Information on all Engineers Week programs and events can be found at www.eweek.org.

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About IBM
For more information about IBM, visit www.ibm.com.

About the Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA
The Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA (CIE-USA), a not-for-profit engineering society, was founded in 1917 in New York by a group of Chinese engineers who graduated from American universities and served in various industries in the U.S. Its mission is to promote communication and exchange of information among various fields of engineers and scientists who are interested in the well-being of the Asian engineering community in the U.S. and abroad. Today, there are six regional/local chapters, including Dallas/Fort Worth, New Mexico, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Overseas Chinese Environmental Engineers and Scientists Association (OCEESA). Working closely with professional organizations, institutions, corporations, and its chapter members, CIE-USA holds technical, professional development, and recognition events, seminars and conventions including the annual Asian American Engineer of the Year (AAEOY) Awards Banquet. For more information, visit www.cie-usa.org.

About the National Engineers Week Foundation
The National Engineers Week Foundation, a formal coalition of more than 75 professional societies, major corporations and government agencies, is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers among young students and by promoting pre-college literacy in math and science. Engineers Week also raises public understanding and appreciation of engineers' contributions to society. Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers, it is among the oldest of America's professional outreach efforts. Co-chairs for 2008 are IBM and the Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA (CIE-USA). For more information, visit www.eweek.org.