Structural engineering Presentation for HS Students

[Berniedog]

I need some ideas. I am going to have a group of High School Students into my office. Does anyone know of any literature, powerpoint or PDF's that can help me present structural engineering to HS kids that have the attention span of a text message?

 

[abusementpark]

I don't know any powerpoints/pdf's, but off the top of my head, here are some potential topics:

-Explain to them that the design of every commercial building/public bridge they've ever stepped in or crossed has been overseen by a structural engineer.

-Discuss how structural engineering is an elite branch of civil engineering.

-Basic description of the different types of loads structural engineers design for.

-Discuss fundamental courses/principles upon which structural engineers rely.

 

[rowingengineer]

I do a talk for some year 11 students each year at my local uni, I just take a lot of photo's of project and mix it with a few photo's of things going wrong. Examples would be a crane going through a suspended slab, wind turbines exploding, building after earthquakes and building falling over in erection. This helps them understand why an engineer is required. As they say you only get noticed when things go wrong.

Arguing with an engineer is like wrestling with a pig in mud. After a while you realize that they like it

 

[rb1957]

yeah, pix of things broken are way more interesting than things intact !

tacoma narrows bridge for a start

 

[vandede427]

This is a narrative I came across once. I think it's a great explaination of our profession.

 

[DRWeig]

The things they'll remember years from now are the disasters. Find some clips of buildings falling down, you'll keep their attention and build the profession in their minds -- "Here's how this could have been prevented..."

I've seen nothing but good suggestions above -- but the most important with teens (I do this fairly regularly) is to keep their attention. Humor, disaster, whatever they normally expect to see when being entertained.

Good on ya! Let us know how it goes!

Goober Dave

 

[Berniedog]

Thanks for your input. Last night I found a website that had activities and a PP presentation -

http://www.seaonc.org/member/committees/ymf_docs.asp

It was useful. The kids liked the activities.

 

[jike]

The book "Why Buildings Fall Down: How Structures Fail" might give you some ideas to illustrate how important a structural engineer's job is along with pictures of building or construction failures. Pictures are worth a thousand words.

There is also a companion book "Why Buildings Stand Up".

 

[MiketheEngineer]

There was a "free" Bridge Building software package on the net a few years ago. You could very easily put togeher a bridge, load it up and see how good it was. For some weird reason - I think it was connected to West Point. Kind of fun and most interactive.

I too like "disasters" - especially when they happen to someone else.....

 

[SLTA]

west point bridge builder! exactly!

http://bridgecontest.usma.edu/

there are scholarships and prizes involved - plus it's fun to watch your truck crash into the river.

 

[SWmechE]

Our company goes out to some of the local high schools and do presentations as part of Engineering Month/Week. My advice follows those above: use lots of pictures/videos of things going wrong, run over what kind of qualities can make a good engineer and above all keep things basic. Apparently one year the teachers had people go into detail on refining... needless to say they lost many of the students to ipods/texting/sleep. From my experience they also liked to hear about what to expect in university as for many that's the next step and can be applied even if engineering may not be the path they're choosing.

 

[HeavyCivil]

Man, when I was in HS they conned us into thinking Engineers make 6 figures a few yrs out of college. I dont regret anything but the truth hurt!

If kids knew they could make 50k/yr with a 2 yr nursing degree itd be tough to get them into our profession.

 

[plasgears]

Petroski in his 'Engineers of Dreams' pointed out in a later chapter reference that there is an approx 20 year cycle of new design development followed by some catastrophic failure. Historical failures generally conformed to this: Tay Bridge [truss], Quebec Cantilever RR bridge, Tacoma Bridge [suspension], a number of box beam bridges in US and Australia, etc. Is the stayed bridge next?

This is an eye opener for those who would proceed without learning from history. Students would find this sobering.

I have presented engineering practice to HS students with success. As an ME, I concentrated on recip engines, jet engines, and heat transfer problems that appeared on the PE exam. It may have been a little above their heads, but it illustrated the complexities of design and the importance of practical assumptions.

 

[vandede427]

LOL, 6 figures counting the two decimal spots.