Engineers Week 2005 Expands Its Global Outreach

With a focus on the international and the future, Engineers Week 2005 will bring initiatives that celebrate the engineering community and share its positive message around the world.

Co-chaired by ASME (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers) and BP p.l.c., Engineers Week, February 20-26, 2005, will launch a partnership with Engineers Without Borders^TM-USA, a non-profit humanitarian organization which delivers environmentally and economically sustainable engineering projects to communities worldwide to improve their quality of life.

The activities of EWB-USA range from the construction of sustainable systems that developing communities can own and operate without external assistance, to empowering such communities by enhancing local, technical, managerial, and entrepreneurial skills.

ASME will spearhead the EWB-USA effort by working with engineering societies to organize multidisciplinary teams to adopt EWB projects and extend their reach by connecting students and young engineers with mentors and advisors of all

ages. Projects usually take six months to a year from approval to installation by the teams, so those submitted by August 1, 2004, may be completed by Engineers Week 2005, while projects submitted by December can be completed through end of year 2005. Teams will be responsible for their own travel and material funds. More information is available through EWB branches or online at www.ewb-international.org or ASME online at www.asme.org/students/ewb.html.

“We are excited about our role as lead engineering society for Engineers Week 2005. It’s important that people understand the contributions of engineering and how it has impacted our quality of life,” said Reginald I. Vachon, president of ASME. “We have teamed with Engineers Without Borders-USA to promote their mission to provide sustainable engineering solutions in developing areas worldwide. Through this endeavor we are enriching a new generation of engineers to continue the tradition of the engineering profession to be socially responsible, using their technical expertise to provide remedies to present and future engineering challenges,” added Vachon.

In recognition of its growing international presence, the 2005 campaign, previously known as “National Engineers Week,” will be referred to simply as “Engineers Week.”

Returning for EWeek 2005 are many popular programs that will also underscore the profession’s commitment to the world and the future. Connecting the World to Engineering brings together engineering undergraduates and young professionals with business leaders through Internet forums and live teleconferences. Established by EWeek 2004 co-chairs Fluor and IEEE, “Connecting the World” helps undergraduates reach into the global business world for guidance, ideas and encouragement as they go forward in their careers. Forums, addressing a variety of engineering disciplines and issues, are moderated by leading professionals and available at www.eweek.org. Live teleconferences with corporate leaders explore cutting-edge topics and developments with engineering societies and their student sections and other university organizations.

New Faces of Engineering, developed in 2003 to showcase rising young stars in America's engineering profession, has also gone international and now includes engineers from around the world. By promoting contributions of young engineers and their benefits to people worldwide, New Faces provides stimulation and incentive for college-level students and encourages younger students to consider engineering careers. EWeek sponsoring societies nominate candidates from industry and academia – nominees must hold an engineering degree, be employed as an engineer from two to five years, and have been involved in projects that significantly impact public welfare or further professional development and growth. All New Faces are featured on www.eweek.org.

One of EWeek’s flagship programs, Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, is slated for Thursday, February 24, 2005. Entering its fifth year, “Girl Day” allows thousands of women engineers – with support from their male counterparts – to mentor and share firsthand experiences of engineering to more than one million girls and young women each year. As part of Girl Day 2004, Engineers Week participated in a United Nations briefing, "Girls and Technology: New Educational Opportunities." Organizations, educational institutions, and individuals are invited to sign a follow-up statement at www.eweek.org supporting EWeek’s global initiatives: “We, the undersigned, encourage all nations to seek the talents, viewpoints and intellects of women in engineering and related mathematics and science fields. Encouragement, education and work opportunities for girls and women in these fields are imperative to generate and turn ideas into reality for the health, safety, and welfare of all.”

The Future City Competition^TM returns for its 13th year, expanding to 38 regional sites after reaching more than 30,000 middle school students from 1,100 schools in 34 regions in 2004. The program teaches insights into potential careers in engineering, math and science through hands-on applications and teamwork. Students build computer and 3-D scale models of cities of tomorrow under the guidance of teachers and volunteer engineer mentors, and defend their designs before engineer judges at regional competitions in January. First place regional teams win a trip to Washington for National Finals, February 21-23, 2005. Visit www.futurecity.org for more information.

Ongoing projects with an Internet focus include the Sightseers Guide to Engineering (www.engineeringsights.org), celebrating engineering marvels from subtle to spectacular in all 50 states, and www.discoverengineering.org, which invites middle school students to discover the how and why of becoming an engineer and provides links to educational, professional, and corporate sites.

Finally, the DiscoverE program, which launched EWeek’s K-12 outreach in 1990, continues to provide educational materials to more than 45,000 engineers who work with five and a half million students and teachers in elementary through secondary schools each year through classroom visits and extracurricular programs.

Visit www.eweek.org for information on all Engineers Week programs and events.