February 12, 2015

Annual Engineering Day will test students’ mettle

by Tim Crosby

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- High school, middle school and junior high students from around the area will visit Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s College of Engineering this month for its 34th annual Engineering Day. 

This year’s event, set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, is part of National Engineers’ Week, organized by the National Society of Professional Engineers. The SIU College of Engineering, along with its affiliated registered student organizations, are sponsoring the local activities. 

Participants will take on a series of entertaining and interactive engineering-related challenges aimed at teaching problem-solving skills and engineering concepts. They also will have the opportunity to speak with current SIU engineering students, faculty and staff to explore pursuing a degree at the university. 

As many as 400 or so students have participated in past Engineering Day events at SIU, traveling from as far away as Effingham to take part. Home-schooled students are welcome to attend the event, as well. 

Organizers this year will provide a pizza lunch available for purchase at the Engineering Building, or students can go to the nearby Student Center to purchase lunch from a variety of vendors there. 

For more information, or to RSVP for the event, contact Lori Williams, office manager, at 618/453-7789 or at loriwill@siu.edu