EWeek

EWeek 2008 ENews #3 – October 25, 2007

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. Seeking New Faces of Engineering
2. Middle School Students Tackle Infrastructure Safety in Future City Competition
3. NEDC Registration Open to October 26
4. Cyberchase at New York Hall of Science

1. Seeking New Faces of Engineering
Do you know a young engineer who is an inspiration to others? The National Engineers Week Foundation's New Faces of Engineering campaign puts a face on the "stealth" profession by recognizing some of the profession's promising young talent around the world. Top nominees are recognized in USA TODAY during Engineers Week 2008. The New Faces campaign provides stimulation and incentive for college-level students and encourages younger students to consider engineering careers. Eligible candidates are age 30 and under who hold an engineering degree and are involved in projects that impact public welfare or further professional development and growth. All nominations must come through an engineering organization represented on the National Engineers Week Steering Committee. Nomination deadline is November 9. Click here for all information.

2. Middle School Students Tackle Infrastructure Safety in Future City Competition
When an interstate bridge collapses during rush hour or broken levees destroy a major city, Americans are again reminded of the nation's crumbling infrastructure, but few people feel empowered to do anything about it. Beginning this fall, however, thousands of middle school students will tackle the issue of safety for the country's vast network of utilities, transportation, structures, and communications systems in the 2008 National Engineers Week Future City Competition^TM.

The year-long program is sponsored by the National Engineers Week Foundation and also receives major funding from Bentley Systems, Inc. and Shell Oil Company.

Future City aims to stir interest in science, technology, math, and engineering among young people. Starting with the new school year, the competition asks students to work in teams under the guidance of a teacher and a volunteer engineer mentor to design and build a city of tomorrow. They must also conduct research for an essay on a pressing social need. This year, the essay centers on an issue straight from the headlines: "Keeping Our City Infrastructure Healthy: Using Nanotechnology to Monitor City Structures and Systems."

Combining up-to-date findings on a cutting-edge technology with the eager minds of students as young as 12 can result in some eye-opening approaches, says Future City National Director Carol Rieg. "Engineers who have worked in their field for years often look at these essays and come away amazed at the advanced concepts," says Rieg.

Future City Competitions will be held in January 2008 in 40 regions across the country. First-place winners from each qualifying regional competition receive an all-expense-paid trip to the 16th annual Future City National Finals in Washington, D.C., February 18-20, 2008 during Engineers Week. National grand prize is a trip to U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. More than 30,000 students from 1,100 middle schools are expected to participate nationwide.

For more information on volunteering in the Future City Competition, click here or call 1-877-636-9578.

3. NEDC Registration Open to October 26
The JWOD/JETS National Engineering Design Challenge (NEDC) is an annual real-world design challenge for high school students. It's a team competition in which students design an assistive technology device (AT) to help people with disabilities enter or advance in the workplace. The NEDC is a cross-curricular activity that involves problem-solving skills, math, science, research, writing, presentation, and drafting/design skills. In addition to designing a real AT device to help solve real challenges, NEDC teams can win prizes, including a free trip to Washington, DC, and cash prizes for their schools. The NEDC Finals Competition is part of Engineers Week 2008, February 15-16. Visit www.jets.org/nedc for more information.

4. Cyberchase at New York Hall of Science
New York City is the most recent stop in the "Cyberchase," a math adventure for young children. "Cyberchase," produced by THIRTEEN/WNET-NY, is the only informal mathematics learning opportunity for children currently available on television. (Other television offerings are instructional television programs designed for classroom viewing.) Broadcast by over 350 PBS stations and channels nationwide, the show reaches five million viewers, including three million children age 2 to 11, each week. The number of adults watching indicates that "Cyberchase" is a family affair in millions of homes. The Engineers Week Coalition is an informal education partner with "Cyberchase". Click here and learn more.

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Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers, Engineers Week (February 18-24, 2007) is celebrated annually by thousands of engineers, engineering students, teachers, and leaders in government and business. In 1988, the National Engineers Week consortium expanded its scope and now includes more than 100 engineering, scientific, and education societies and major corporations dedicated to enhancing the public understanding of the engineering profession and to promoting pre-college interest in math, science, and engineering as a career option.

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