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The ESB - Maryland Engineering Challenges Maryland’s Premier K -12 Student Math, Science & Technology Problem Solving Event The Challenges evolved from a number of different initiatives, including interested groups of engineers, educators and volunteers involved at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. The first Engineering Challenge held at the Baltimore Museum of Industry (BMI) took place in 1991 and involved a single event - a middle school challenge to make a cargo crane out of drinking straws. Early Challenges took place solely during National Engineers Week - the third week in February, occurring near the birthday of the nation's first engineer, George Washington. The events have developed significantly over the years, from the 1991 challenges involving only 31 school teams to the 2003 challenges involving more than 300. The mission of the challenges has remained constant since its beginning: to introduce young people to the excitement of a career in Engineering, Science and Technology. Supporting the Challenge Events Companies and individuals who would like to help by volunteering or making contributions toward the costs of funding the challenges activities are invited to contact: ESB - William R. Gluck P.E., Chair, Engineers Week Council, 410-767- 4439 Email: Bill.Gluck@dgs.state.md.us An informational PowerPoint CD is available. 2004 Engineering Challenge Events National Engineers Week Challenges - February 22 to 28, 2004 High School Wood Bridge Challenge - Saturday, February 14, 2004 High School Tractor Pull - Monday, February 16, 2004 Elementary School - Safe Racer, Paper Plane & Theme Park - Saturday, February 21, 2004 Location - Baltimore Museum of Industry Middle School Engineering Challenges - Saturday, April 17, 2004 Maglev- Organizing Group: KCI Technologies, Inc. - Model Maglev vehicles, powered by little electric motors and propellers, speed down a 24 foot long track on a "magnetic cushion". Hovercraft - Organizing Group: American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE - The challenge is to "race" a student developed model hovercraft across a 20-foot long by 6-foot wide channel. Each team is given the opportunity to make two runs across the channel and the fastest time of the two runs will be recorded for their score. Straw Bridge - Organizing Group: The American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASME - Using only standard plastic drinking straws and hot glue, students engineering teams must design and construct a bridge to support a 1/63rd (Matchbox®) scale truck, loaded with 6.5 pounds of material as it travels over a hazard 21 inches wide. Recycling - Organizing Group: Millennium Chemicals - The Recycling Challenge requires teams of students to perform such a separation. The teams are provided samples of real industrial materials combined together. Student teams develop methods for isolating and purifying each component from the mixture and then build a working model of their process. Location - Baltimore Museum of Industry High School Engineering Challenges - Saturday, March 27, 2004 Cargo Aircraft- Organizing Group: AIAA / Baltimore Chapter American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Baltimore Section - Teams of student engineers design and construct an electric power airplane to fly around a 12' diameter circular course carrying as much weight as possible. Robot- Organizing Group: The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, IEEE - Student engineering teams use a standard IEEE/Baltimore Chapter robot construction supplies kit as a basis to construct 2 and 4 leg walking robots. The IEEE challenge includes the robot traversing a 6' table top obstacle course in the shortest time period. Sunday, March 28, 2004 - Special Robot Challenge time. Cargo Ship- Organizing Group: Maryland Association of Appraisers MAA - The challenge is to design a radio controlled model ship using standard specifications to carry cargo most efficiently. The ships are designed to a scale of 1 inch to 10 feet. Teams must also develop a cargo plan to carry as many containers as possible without having too much draft or becoming unstable which could lead to sinking under "heavy seas". Location - Baltimore Museum of Industry NASA Earth Science Challenge - Organizing Group: Goddard Space Flight Center & Morgan State University - Each year, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Education Programs hosts an Engineering Competition that highlights applied engineering involved in a selected mission. NASA Location& Date: April, 2004, DuVal High School, PG County History of Maryland's Engineering Challenges The Engineering Challenges as we know them today have evolved from a number of different initiatives from groups of engineers, educators and people involved with the Baltimore Museum of Industry. The first of these initiatives was the Maryland Section of the international Woodbridge Challenge. Other early events included the Engineering Pipeline Initiative of The Engineering Society of Baltimore, and the Senior Woodworking competition The first Engineering Challenge held at the Baltimore Museum of Industry (BMI) took place in 1991 and comprised a single event- a middle school challenge to make a cargo crane out of drinking straws. The next year, this competition was expanded to include a range of challenges for all ages from elementary to high school students. This pattern has continued to this day. The 1992 event was given a great boost by the interest of then Governor William Donald Schaefer, who opened the event and spent two hours signing T-shirts. Mayor Kurt Schmoke and Nancy Grasmick were other visitors over the years. The challenges have appeared in TV programs, as well as newspaper and magazine articles Early Challenges took place solely during National Engineers Week - the third week in February, occurring near the birthday of the nation's first engineer, George Washington. However, by 1995 it was realized that this schedule is too difficult to accommodate many middle and high schools, which have a change of class in late January. By 1995, the present pattern of holding the Elementary School events during Engineers' Week, and most of the events for older students during the following months had been established The events have developed significantly over the years. The 1991 challenges involved only 31 teams, and in recent years close to 300 teams have participated. The challenges keep changing, too. The year 2000 saw the introduction of the Paper Plane, Hovercraft and Recycling challenges, and 2001 brought the start of a partnership with NASA, and the inclusion of the Earth and Space challenge, with the first round taking place on-line. The overall purpose of the challenges remains the same, however, to introduce young people to the excitement of careers in Engineering and Technology. In recent years, we have been delighted to find that one of our young Professional Engineering judges had taken part in an early Wood Bridge challenge, and other, more recent contestants are now studying Engineering in college. We look forward to following their careers, and are keen to hear news of others who may be following the same path. |
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