Engineering Open House Attracts Local Middle, High Schoolers
The Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology is holding an open house Friday and Saturday, in the ongoing effort to attract good students to the profession, and to Old Dominion University.
The event is being held to celebrate National Engineers' Week, and will include demonstrations and laboratory tours to introduce prospective students to the field of engineering.
"This year, we expect approximately 300 individuals to participate in tours and demonstrations of 16 labs," said Beverly Forbes, director of experiential education and engineering college liaison with ODU's Career Management Center.
"Current engineering students will serve as tour guides, directing visitors to these demonstrations and laboratories."
On Friday, the college will host an open house beginning at 9 a.m. Students can witness demonstrations and take lab tours. Some of the faculty giving demonstrations include Gary Schafran, professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, on water treatment; Ramamurthy Prabhakaran, eminent professor of mechanical engineering, on solid mechanics; and Will Richards, project scientist with the Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center, and Andreas Tolk, associate professor of engineering management, on modeling and simulation.
Friday will also feature student projects such as the Mini Baja Buggy and Scale Formula One Racer.
On Saturday, high school students will take part in engineering design competitions.
To date, 130 students are registered to attend the open house, which will include 13 design competitions, five hands-on activities, and an academic and professional development panel discussion featuring an engineering faculty member and two graduate students.
To see a schedule of events or specifics of the design competitions, see the open house Web site at www.eng.odu.edu/eng/openhouse/2009/design_competitions.shtml.
For more information, contact the Batten College via e-mail at engineer@odu.edu or by phone at 757-683-6363.