Education Tips???
Education Tips???
(OP)
Hi There!
My team mates and I are going do a presentation to high school teens to inform them more about engineering.
My part is to present the civil and structural sides of engineering.
Have you got any interesting examples of engineering achievements or great/'interesting' charactered engineers that may attract the attention of the school teens?
Do share!
Thanks!
Cheers,
Luk
My team mates and I are going do a presentation to high school teens to inform them more about engineering.
My part is to present the civil and structural sides of engineering.
Have you got any interesting examples of engineering achievements or great/'interesting' charactered engineers that may attract the attention of the school teens?
Do share!
Thanks!
Cheers,
Luk





RE: Education Tips???
RE: Education Tips???
Thanks for the input.
I think bridges are good examples.
I thought of rollercoasters, dams...
but the idea of informing them that we get to play with godzilla sized trucks is REAlly appealing.
Thanks again!
Cheers, Luk
RE: Education Tips???
I've given a few similar talks over the years. I've given examples of large, well know civil engineering works like briges, dams, skycrapers etc., that can really be inspiring. I have also found that picking one or two local projects that are in the news, brings the topic closer to home. The local library addition, the new subdivision, an addition to the local treatment plant give an opportunity to show on a local level, "what engineers do right here in your community".
We don't all get to work on the mega-projects that might inspire a career, yet the sum of a multitude of small projects makes a career. And in this day and age, there are a multitude of small, fun projects that need doing and that can really add to the quality of life on the local level.
I would then sum up my talk with what it takes to study engineering. Provide an outline of the high school courses needed to get into engineering school. Then, required college courses and a little about professional registration. Also, don't forget to leave time for some questions.
One last comment. I always thought that talking to high school seniors, while a good thing to do, was a little late. They have all ready gone through most of their course of study. Sophomores and Juniors still have time to rearrange their schedules, so I think it is important to try and talk to them too.
Just a few thoughts, good luck and I hope you find your experiance talking to the students as rewarding as I did.
RE: Education Tips???
Here are some links that you might find helpful:
1. what is civil engineering?
http://www.rose-hulman.edu/Class/ce/HTML/whatis.html
2. The Top Ten Public Works Projects of the Century
http://www.apwa.net/About/Awards/TopTenCentury/
3. Some of the century's top architects and engineers
http://www.djc.com/special/century/archs.html
4. Famous Structures
http://www.icivilengineer.com/Structural_Engineering/Famous_Structures/
Good LUCK !!!!!!!!!
Drop By !!
www.geocities.com/concretesite
RE: Education Tips???
http://www.asidesign.com/new/home_high.html
RE: Education Tips???
Thanks for the tips...
I shall check the sites out.
Now I would have enough info for the 15 year olds....:)
Cheers,
Luk
RE: Education Tips???
The truth will set you free. Best of luck. Geodude
RE: Education Tips???
Try these links for resources:
American Society of Civil Engineers 150th Anniversary information
http://www.asce.org/150/150years.html
Building Big - domes, tunnels, skyscrapers, dams, bridges
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/
West Point Bridge design contest - really cool software to download
http://bridgecontest.usma.edu/
Engineers Week resources
http://www.eweek.org
RE: Education Tips???
Thanks for the tips!
Cheers, Luk
RE: Education Tips???
If this is not an option, try to get some bent steel beams and connections from a testing facility or the university. Something tangible is always more impressive than someone talking about it.
Make it personal, talk about your career and how you are satisfied with the profession. Give some examples from your own life and experience, preferably something local that they can see for themselves.
A contractor and I once talked about still having the “WOW” factor about our jobs. After 25 years I am still impressed with the scope and magnitude and humbled by the forces that we can unleash and manage. If I ever loose the “WOW” factor I’ll probably have to become an accountant.
I also take issue with the comment that we engineers get to play with the biggest “Tonka toys”. With Tonka toys you have to make the vroom vroom noises yourself. With the stuff we get to play with they make the vroom vroom noises all by themselves.
Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng
Construction Project Management
From conception to completion
www.kitsonengineering.com
RE: Education Tips???
Once while tasked with the very same presentation, I checked out the library and came out with not one, but two really cool videos covering engineering in general and the other which bridges more specifically. Both were geared towards the late grade school to high school level.
RE: Education Tips???
Cheers, Luk