Expo shows off engineering talents

Friday, February 22, 2008

More than 800 students from elementary school through high school explore the School of Engineering’s annual Expo today and Saturday at the University of Kansas.

The event, called “Engineering Expo 2008: Planet Engineering,” features exhibits and activities contributed by various departments from the school.

Melody Redburn, Wichita sophomore and co-coordinator of the Expo, said the event, which was free and open to the public, would introduce younger students to the variety of work engineers could do.

Photo by Marla Keown

Tyler Thompson, Emporia freshman, and Justin Sadowski, Omaha, Neb. freshman piece together a five-and-a-half feet tall globe made out of paper machete and chicken wire. The School of Engineering is holding a green-themed expo on Friday and Saturday for kids from ages K-12. Last year, over 1,000 kids showed up to the event.

She said the Expo would also help recruit juniors and seniors in high school to the School of Engineering.

Among the exhibits devised for this year’s Engineering Expo is a bicycle-powered LED display built by Theta Tau, an engineering fraternity.

Participants in the exhibit can peddle on the bicycle to generate electricity that powers an electric Jayhawk display.

Reece McHenry, Wichita sophomore, said students from the department of chemical engineering would host a volcano-building contest. Students entered in the contest can build their own plaster volcanoes that erupt when baking soda and vinegar are mixed inside the volcano.

McHenry, also an Expo co-coordinator, said the event was unique because it encouraged elementary and middle school classes to work creatively in teams and compete in activities like the volcano contest.

Redburn said this year’s Expo would also have a green theme.

“Green has been a major emphasis in government policy and engineering,” Redburn said. “We thought it would be fun to educate kids a little about the environmentally friendly side of things.”

Francis Pamatmat, Olathe sophomore and member of the Engineering Student Council, said the Expo’s activities would make it a fun event for kids and would provide good exposure for the School of Engineering.

Pamatmat said guest speaker Daniel Valero would bolster the event’s environmental theme.

Valero, a University alumnus, worked with the Environmental Protection Agency to lead an investigation into air pollution in New York City after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

breakbox

When: Today 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Learned and Eaton halls Cost: free

Redburn said she was confident the variety of activities and exhibits at this year’s Expo would make it a hit with attendees.

“I think that we could probably give previous years a run for their money,” she said.

The Engineering Expo takes place in Learned and Eaton halls today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

—Edited by Samuel Lamb

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