ACEC member firms and state Member Organizations shined a spotlight on the vital role that engineers play in our society and on our quality of life during 2024 National Engineers Week (E-Week) in February. Our firms and state organizations helped to engage students in engineering and chart a course for a brighter future. See highlights of 2024 E-Week below.
As part of the critical workforce issues facing the entire industry and the efforts to engage more students in engineering, ACEC Alaska coordinated a partnership between the University of Alaska Anchorage and the local Anchorage School District to conduct three-part educational sessions in middle and high schools. Teachers requested the sessions, and local community engineers filled the slots by volunteering to help teach. Over 30 teachers requested the lessons, and the state organization filled all the requests.
An overview of civil engineering, structural engineering, bridge types, truss types, joints, compression, and tension comprised the first lesson. The second lesson focused on designing a bridge (drawn to scale on graph paper, elevation view, plan view, materials lists, weight estimate, etc.), and the third lesson involved constructing models of the bridges, which were in competition during E-Week.
ACEC/MS member firms appeared with Governor Tate Reeves for the proclamation signing, which honored Mississippi’s engineers during Engineers Week. The Member Organization also aired a statewide E-Week radio spot, which you can listen to here: https://bit.ly/3TTBQIC
ACEC Ohio honored the accomplishments of engineers during the 2024 Central Ohio Engineers Week. The engineering community came together at a luncheon to hear astronaut Don Thomas, who was a crew member of the All-Ohio Space Shuttle Mission. A veteran of four flights, Thomas has spent 44 days in space and orbited the Earth nearly 700 times. Now, Thomas is helping to inform and excite the public about our future in space and preparing our next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers for their missions.
At the 2024 Toledo Area National Engineers Week, Northwest Ohio members celebrated the incredible achievements of its engineering community at a luncheon that featured keynote speaker Megan Bendtzen, who shared invaluable insights on infusing fun into the workplace.
Olsson had a couple of different takes on celebrating Engineers Week this year. Olsson volunteers celebrated by bringing engineering to life for more than 2,600 elementary students across the country and by visiting about 90 classrooms to lead engaging, handson student activities such as making bubble blowers, building bridges, and creating earthquake-resistant structures. Learn more about Olsson’s activities here: https://bit.ly/3Q2WMvE
The company also asked kids (since they are our future engineers) to draw what they think the world will look like in 50 or 100 years. The firm then compiled a YouTube video of their drawings and answers. Check out their incredible possibilities here: https://bit.ly/4aCjClV
Walter P Moore produced a carousel graphic reflecting on the firm’s accomplishments while looking to the future:
This year’s theme “Welcome to the Future” is about celebrating today’s achievements and paving the way for a brighter and more diverse future in engineering. We aimed to recognize our team as leaders in the industry, driven by a passion for excellence and a vision for the future. Through our Engineers Week material, we wanted to showcase our legacy of crafting visionary projects that transform landscapes, unite communities, and elevate experiences. Our team members not only understand the power that engineering has to shape the world around us but embrace the responsibility that comes with it.
The firm posted a kickoff message on its LinkedIn page along with the carousel graphic. Read it here: https://bit.ly/WPM-E-Week-LinkedIn
To view a PDF of the graphic, go to: https://bit.ly/3VTGA3l
Ayres Associates hosted several events during Engineers Week to introduce students to engineering, and around 70 attendees saw firsthand the immense value of a professional consulting career.
The firm’s Eau Claire, Wisconsin, office hosted its Career Expo event on February 19 to introduce students to the type of work involved in the fields of engineering, architecture, environmental science, surveying, and related technical careers. The evening program included bridge- and boat-building activities, technical demonstrations, refreshments, and a question-and-answer session.
Fort Collins, Colorado, staff and fifth graders from Johnson Elementary School all had fun celebrating Engineers Week by spending the afternoon making and launching paper rockets.
To celebrate Engineers Week, CRS Engineering & Surveying organized engineering-focused staff activities in the company’s three offices in Vernal, Logan, and Salt Lake City, Utah.
Staff had to build a boat that floats and could hold a certain number of pennies; staff conducted a soil-sampling activity, where fun treats were used (pudding, crackers, etc.) to understand the different parts of the soil that geotech engineers look at; and staff broke into teams to build bridges that would hold a Hot Wheels car.
The company also posted a video to its social media accounts, “Civil Engineers Are the Unknown Heroes of Our Communities,” to highlight all the work engineers do and how that impacts the daily lives of community members. See the video here: https://bit.ly/3xvAXhL
Sain Associates began hosting “Girl Day” at their office in 2015, and the event has expanded to include industry groups like the Society of Women Engineers and other organizations. This year’s event was held at the McWane Science Center in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. It drew more than 200 students from local middle schools to participate in STEM activities, connect with engineering professionals, and watch the documentary Cities of the Future at the IMAX theater.