National Engineers Week 2007 Kicks Off on February 18

By Consulting Specifying Engineer Staff February 8, 2007

Engineers Week , a formal coalition of more than 75 engineering, professional and technical societies and more than 50 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.

Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers , the program also is intended to raise public understanding and appreciation of engineers’ contributions to society. Co-chairs for 2007 are the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and Tyco Electronics.

Activities that are a part of this year Engineers Week include the following:

  • Design Squad — A new PBS program that uses television to introduce kids and families to the engineering design process premieres the first of its 13 episodes on PBS stations nationwide.

  • Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (Thursday, Feb. 22) — Thousands of women engineers, with support from their male counterparts, directly mentor more than one million girls and young women in K-12 with firsthand experiences in engineering.

  • Global Marathon For, By and About Women in Engineering — A live webcast and teleconference running continuously from noon on Thursday, March 22 through midday Friday, March 23 (EST).

  • New Faces of Engineering — Highlighting young engineers and their contributions provides stimulation and incentive for college-level students and encourages younger students to consider engineering careers.

  • Future City Competition — Celebrating its 15th Anniversary, 30,000 middle-school students in 1,100 schools from 38 regions across America work with teachers and volunteer engineers to envision the future in large, tabletop models of cities of tomorrow.

  • Cyberchase — A new multi-media activity guide is based on the fifth season of “Cyberchase,” the popular PBS television program and website.

  • DiscoverE — More than 45,000 engineers work with 5.5 million students and teachers in elementary through secondary school each year through classroom visits and extracurricular programs, using educational materials provided by Engineers Week.

These are just a few of the events and activities. For complete information, visit the dedicated website for National Engineering Week .