VOLUME 5
ISSUE NO.2
PITT SWE
OCTOBER, 2014
THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, SOCIETY OF WOMEN ENGINEERS
Elementary Engineering Extravaganza By Geena Petrone On Saturday October 18th, Pitt SWE hosted our Fall Elementary Engineering Extravaganza. The event was a huge success thanks to the support of all of our SWE volunteers! Approximately 40 elementary school students from around the Pittsburgh area came to Pitt to participate in engineering related activities, and learn more about how important it is to explore all aspects of the STEM fields. Students participated in various activities including constructing a windmill out of craft supplies, which relates to renewable energy, a huge topic in today’s engineering world. The students also made tables out of newspaper and masking tape, an activity relating to civil engineering, providing the opportunity to learn the important characteristics of a sturdy structure. Activities were done with the intention of sparking the curiosity
of the students at a young age so that hopefully someday they will become engineers! While the students enjoyed snack time, their parents watched a presentation by Mary Zeis, who is the VP of Outreach for the Pittsburgh Professional Society of Women Engineers. Ms. Zeis talked to the parents about the impor tance of getting their children involved in the STEM fields, and how to do so while the children are still in elementary school. The day ended with some very cool demonstrations that captivated the students, such as a “Tornado Tube”, where a small scale replica tornado was created in a soda bottle. This activity was
done to show students how engineers have to relate what they do to the real world. In the real world, natural disasters like tornados are a variable that needs to be accounted for when building and designing new structures. O ve r a l l , t h e e ve n t w a s a g r e a t experience for volunteers and attendees alike! Elementary Engineering Extravaganza will be held again in Spring 2015, so if you’d like to participate as a volunteer or offer some fun activity ideas, please contact pittswe.outreach@gmail.com for more information
Highlights: In this Issue ALSO INCLUDED:
RIDDLE: PAGE 2 NEXT MONTH’S EVENTS: PAGE 2 WINNERS OF S2S: PAGE 3 PITTSBURGH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY’S 2ND ANNUAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FESTIVAL PAGE 2
OFFICER OF THE MONTH: PAGE 3 GIRL SCOUT ENGINEERING DAY PAGE 3