NEGM
Building the Future, One Rubber Band and Alka-Seltzer at a Time National Engineering & Geoscience Month Inspires Student Innovation and Highlights Member Achievements
WAIT FOR IT! -photo by Ella Yao Red Deer Science Olympics volunteer judge Daniel Shang, E.I.T., puts a 10-lb. weight atop a tower made from index cards and rubber bands, while anxious students wait to see if their creation holds up. The skinny tower surprised judges when it didn't collapse under the weight. Students were given extra points for using fewer building materials — a lesson in construction cost savings. The event, held at Westpark Middle School, tested the ingenuity of junior and senior high students.
APEGA wasn’t the only organization celebrating NEGM. Different engineering and geoscience organizations across Alberta held a variety of activities, from design competitions, engineering art shows, and Earth science exhibitions to workshops, lectures, and panel discussions. Similar events were held across Canada, showcasing engineering and geoscience careers while raising the profile of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists.
If you only had 30 minutes, could you design and construct a tower out of index cards and rubber bands, at least 12 inches tall, and strong enough to hold a 10-lb. weight? If you had 40 minutes, could you build a timer from a box of supplies that includes cups, sugar, eyedroppers, a candle, and an Alka-Seltzer tablet? Those are two of the challenges students were tasked with at the APEGA Science Olympics during the annual National Engineering & Geoscience Month (NEGM) celebrations in March. Their
solutions were at times surprising, creative and ingenious, proving that the future is indeed in good hands. APEGA hosted eight science olympics events and another eight elementary science nights in communities across the province. Almost 2,800 students took part, thanks to the volunteer efforts of 400 APEGA Members who helped organize and run the activities. The goal: to ignite students’ interest in science and math and perhaps inspire a new generation of engineers and geoscientists.
SUMMER 2015 PEG | 59
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker