EWeek

EWeek 2009 ENews #1 – September 24, 2008

Engineers Week 2008 will be celebrated February 17 – 23, and is co-chaired by the Chinese Institute of Engineers (CIE)–USA and IBM Corporation. Feel free to forward this letter or contents to other interested parties.

Contents:
1. Last Call: Nominate a New Face of Engineering
2. Join the CYBERCHASE Online
3. JETS Challenges High School Kids
4. And the Award Goes to... Design Squad
5. Local Events

1. Last Call: Nominate a New Face of Engineering
Putting faces to what has often been referred to as the stealth profession, the New Faces of Engineering campaign showcases a group of young, diverse, and talented engineers and shows engineering as an exciting profession. Selected engineers, all 30 years of age or younger, are featured in a full-page ad in USA TODAY during Engineers Week. New Faces of Engineering recognizes achievements in all engineering disciplines. However, nominees must be a member of a sponsoring Engineers Week partner. Click here for complete details. Nomination deadline is October 31 or earlier.

2. Join the CYBERCHASE Online
CYBERCHASE, the PBS television show from Thirteen/WNET in NYC, teaches young kids that math is everywhere, everyone can be good at it, and it's fun!

CYBERCHASE has added an Outreach Pageto the Parents and Teachers section of the CYBERCHASEE Web site. CYBERCHASE Online for Parents & Teachers provides everything you need to bring the math adventure and learning fun of CYBERCHASE to your favorite kids. The new page incorporates the Outreach Portal resources into the CYBERCHASE Web site, an effort which has created an organized and appealing online resource area.

Is there a CYBERCHASE event coming to your neighborhood? Planning a CYBERCHASE-themed event in the coming months? Want to get the word out? Send CYBERCHASE the information, and they'll post it on the CYBERCHASE News and Events page.

Be on the lookout for the launch of Season 7, Cyberchase Weather Watchers.

3. JETS Challenge
The JETS/AbilityOne National Engineering Design Challenge (NEDC) is an engineering design competition open to students in grades 9-12. Teams of students design and build an assistive technology device to help a person in their community with severe disabilities succeed in his or her workplace.

The NEDC is a cross-curricular, collaborative competition in which teams of students use their creativity, problem solving, math, science, research, writing, presentation, drafting and design skills to create a real-life assistive technology device to help individuals with disabilities in their community. The NEDC is a service-learning program that educates young people about careers in engineering, increases disability awareness, promotes community involvement and inspires a spirit of engagement and a willingness to help others. High school students learn first-hand how engineering can make a positive difference in someone's life!

Registration is in progress and will close November 25. Check the JETS website for important details. The NEDC competition culminates on February 26, 2009, with the national finals in Washington, D.C.

4. And the Award Goes to....Design Squad
Design Squad producers accepted the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award on Monday, June 16, 2008. The award-considered to be one of the highest honors in electronic media-was presented in a ceremony hosted by 60 Minutes co-editor and correspondent, Lesley Stahl, at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. As the Peabody Board noted: "Design Squad is a true delight- educational television in the best sense of the term. This series, directed at viewers ages 12 to 17, works because it recognizes and appreciates the intelligence of its intended audience."

Tell the folks at Design Squad about your outreach efforts from this past year and what you have planned for the coming months. Let them know the type of event (workshop, school visit, event, camp, etc.), when it took place and where, the number of people you reached, and how you incorporated Design Squad. Email any information to designsquad_feedback@wgbh.org.

5. Local Events
Los Alamos, New Mexico. Planning is already underway for the 7th annual Discover E event highlighting interesting, interactive and fun engineering, technology, science, and math demonstrations. It will be held Wednesday, February 18, 2009, from 4:30 to 7:00 PM at the Los Alamos High School DECA Cafeteria Engineering and scientific professionals from local technical societies, businesses, along with advanced students and Girl Scouts, volunteer to provide interactive demonstrations for northern New Mexico's kindergarten through high school students. Please contact Dr. Bev Aikin (bevaikin@lanl.gov, 505-667-1679) if you need more information.

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The National Engineers Week Foundation coalition comprises more than 75 engineering, professional, and technical societies and more than 50 corporations and government agencies. The coalition is dedicated to sustaining and growing a dynamic engineering profession by ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce, increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers among young students, and promoting pre-college literacy in math and science. Among the oldest of America's professional outreach efforts, the coalition also raises public understanding and appreciation of engineering contributions to society through year-round innovative programming and celebration.

Previous issues of the EWEEK ENEWS available here.