For the Media

Chicagoland Engineers Week seeks to educate and attract people to the engineering fields. This can't happen without publicity, though - please help us get the word out about this valuable event by using the following fact sheet and press releases in your own publications, websites, and other timely media.

Contact:

Tim Seeden - Executive Director
Western Society of Engineers
630-724-9770
e-mail: tim@wsechicago.org

Press Releases and Other Information

Future City Press Release

“EWEEK Expo at IIT-Rice Campus”
Structural Engineers to explore engineering with students

DuPage Area Engineer’s Week Committee has scheduled an Open House for Saturday, February 20, 2010 [11:00 A.M. –3:30 P.M.] at Illinois Institute of Technology’s Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Campus at 201 East Loop Road, Wheaton. This program includes activities that are free and open to the public. You are invited to explore engineering with members of the Chicagoland engineering community. The theme for this year’s program: Turning Today’s Play… Into Tomorrow’s Career.

The Expo will feature interactive displays and presentations that are fun and educational, designed to enhance children’s interest in math, science, and of course engineering.

The DuPage Program, now on its 26th year, is a joint effort among professional engineering and scientific societies, area national laboratories, businesses, educational institutions and community organizations. Displays and presentations this year will focus on Children’s Toys and how they might result into careers in engineering.

Structural engineers Bob Johnson, Carol Drucker, Terrance Lindsay, Jeremy Kirk and others are expected to once again introduce budding young engineers to standing room only at the SEAOI (Structural Engineers Association of Illinois - www.seaoi.org) exhibit.

Mr. Johnson’s structural engineering models and ‘toys’ provide an enriching hands-on practical application of structural engineering principles.

Ms. Drucker’s display on bridges provides students and adults insight into the design of bridges. Expect a discussion on the failure/reasons for the tragic 2007 Minneapolis bridge failure.

Buildings to Shake- Rattle and Roll!

For this upcoming EWEEK, in addition to our usual “bag of tricks” Structural engineer Larry Novak will exhibit an earthquake shake table for LEGOTM buildings which allows the students to utilize their own creativity to build and test their designs to destruction (one can actually see the model buildings sway and osculate under the earthquake simulation). The concept is to utilize the application of creative hands-on demonstrations to encourage young minds to pursue math, science and engineering. At the conclusion of this very special presentation (LEGOTM) gifts will be presented to those attentive listeners.

This ‘EXPO’ is the extraordinary opportunity to introduce students of all ages and their parents to the current state of technology and advances being made throughout engineering industry. For more information, please visit www.dupageeweek.iit.edu or call the IIT-Rice Campus Office at (630) 682-6040.

The event is open to the public and free of charge.

Chicagoland’s Middle School Students Vie for National Recognition in
Annual Future City Competition Regional Finals on
January 16, 2010 at University of Illinois at Chicago

This Year’s Theme is Green Living –
Students Are Asked to Create Spaces to House the Neediest

CHICAGO, December 28, 2009 – What do engineering, economics, math and the environment have in common? They’re all topics middle schoolers from nearly 40 regions across the U.S. are tackling in the 2009-2010 National Engineers Week Future City® Competition. This year’s theme is “Providing an Affordable Living Space for People Who Have Lost Their Home Due to a Disaster or Financial Emergency.”

Students have been working on their Future City projects since they returned to school in the fall, and now each region is preparing for January’s regional finals. First-place winners from each qualifying regional competition receive a trip to the 18th annual Future City National Finals in Washington, D.C., February 13-17, 2010 during National Engineers Week. National grand prize is a trip to U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. More than 33,000 students from 1,100 middle schools are expected to participate nationwide. In the Chicago Region, the Future City Competition regional finals will be held on January 16, 2010 at University of Illinois at Chicago, Student Center East.

Sponsored by the nation’s professional engineering community, Future City aims to stir interest in science, technology, engineering and math among young people. Future City is the nation’s largest engineering education program and among the most popular.

Students work in teams under the guidance of a teacher and a volunteer engineer mentor to design and build a city of tomorrow. They create cities on computers using the SimCity™ 4 Deluxe software and then build three-dimensional, tabletop models to scale. To ensure a level playing field, models must use recycled materials and can cost no more than $100 to build. Students write brief narratives describing their city and must present and defend their designs at the competition before a panel of engineer judges who test the depth of the teams’ knowledge. They must also write and conduct research for an essay of 700-1,000 words on “Providing an Affordable Living Space for People Who Have Lost Their Home Due to a Disaster or Financial Emergency.”

Participants are asked to consider the social, economic and ecological impact of the manufacturing and construction techniques they design. The design should be constructed with the ideal of providing affordable homes to those facing disaster or financial crisis, and earning only 50%-80% of the median income of the surrounding city. The living space needs to use sustainable materials, have a low-carbon emissions footprint, and achieve the “Green Ideals” of energy efficient building.

“Our students are enthusiastic, focused and highly motivated,” says Don Wittmer, Regional Coordinator. “They have a unique appreciation for this theme because they understand that it addresses some of the most pressing issues our society faces. Their work reflects the passion they feel and their commitment to trying to make the world a better place.”

For more information on judging or mentoring in the Future City Competition, visit www.futurecity.org, http://www.futurecitychicago.org or contact Don Wittmer at 312.930.9119 or Garth Daley at 773.380.9239.

# # #

About Engineers Week
The National Engineers Week Foundation, a formal coalition of more than 100 professional societies, major 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. Engineers Week also raises public understanding and appreciation of engineers' contributions to society. Founded in 1951, it is among the oldest of America's professional outreach efforts. Co-chairs for 2010 are ExxonMobil Corporation and the American Society of Civil Engineers. For more information, visit www.eweek.org.

CONTACT:

Chicago Region:
Don Wittmer/Regional Coordinator
312.930.9119
dwittmer@hntb.com

Garth Daley
773.380.9239
gdaley@CRAworld.com


Sayles & Winnikoff Communications:
Rick Gomes
212.725.5200 x114
rick@sayleswinnikoff.com

ENGINEERS NEEDED! 2010 FUTURE CITY COMPETITION

The Chicago Future City Competition is looking for engineer mentors to help student teams prepare for the upcoming February 2010 competition. The following schools need assistance:

Albright Middle School, Villa Park
Bond Elementary School, Chicago
Chicago State University, Chicago
Coonley Elementary School, Chicago
Forest Park Middle School, Forest Park
Keller Regional Gifted Center, Chicago
McClure Junior High School, Western Springs
Miles Davis Magnet Academy, Chicago
Pilgram Lutheran School, Chicago
Ruban Salazar Bilingual Education Center, Chicago
St. Stanislaus Kostka, Chicago
Williams Preparatory Academy Middle School, Chicago

If you live or work near these schools, please consider volunteering as an engineer mentor. Time commitment will vary.

Contact Garth Daley at 773.380.9933 or gdaley@CRAworld.com for further information.

For general info on the Future City Competition go here:
www.futurecitychicago.org

Future City Competition

January 16th, 2010 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Reserve the date! January 16, 2010 is a day on which you can witness a vision of the future.

The Future City Competition is a national program sponsored by the engineering community to promote technological literacy and engineering to middle school students. It is in its 18th year of existence and Chicago has the honor of being the only city to participate every year. The program fosters an interest in math, science, and engineering through hands-on, real world applications.

The public is invited to the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago for this FREE event. Visit www.futurecitychicago.org for additional info