A mobile program for enhancing engineering education

This paper focuses on a mobile K-12 outreach program titled 'Engineers on Wheels' (EOW). Funding was acquired to retrofit two vans with modern technology and engineering activities. Travel is conducted in colorful vehicles that represent the institution name and bring engineering alive for the select audience. The idea for a mobile program was developed as many school districts do not have resources for field trips. These vans are driven to area schools to promote all engineering disciplines to K-12 students and educators. Engineering activities are also demonstrated outside the vehicles at scheduled school locations. The goal of the EW project is to deliver engineering concepts into K-12 classrooms using simple cost effective hands on activities. This project is unique in that the activities are developed or selected entirely by engineering students and delivered to school districts by students/faculty. Engineering students develop and pilot the activities, lesson plans, and handouts, for the Engineers on Wheels project through a course called the Engineering Clinic. All engineering disciplines are represented via these activities to give students a well-rounded idea of what different engineering involves. Samples of activities include Solar, Wind and Water Power, Biodiesel and Lip Gloss Processing, Bridge Building, Strength of Materials etc. The goal of the project is to use these activities to mitigate some of the issues that prevent girls and boys from understanding engineering and its specialty areas, thus preventing consideration of engineering as a career choice. Students travel to select school districts throughout the academic year to expose the challenges and excitement of engineering to K-12 students and educators. Surveys are conducted to assess the impact of the program. This successful program is in its seventh year and just received national recognition as the 2013 WEPAN Outstanding Women in Engineering Program Initiative.