Nov. 4, 2013 – Some 400 high school students, teachers and parents will attend the sixth annual Engineering Day at the University of Utah on Saturday, Nov. 9. Hosted by the College of Engineering, the free event’s hands-on activities, lab tours and student projects will introduce engineering — and its impact on daily life — to attendees.
Engineering Day attendees can personalize their visits to the university by selecting and registering for three, 30-minute sessions from 23 options that represent the university’s seven engineering fields and four specialty programs. These sessions feature hands-on activities, such as breaking cement and steel, the Utah Traffic Lab and driving simulator and TreadPort Active Wind Tunnel. The sophisticated tunnel immerses users in virtual worlds that mimic real world sights, gravity and wind speeds up to 18.6 mph.
Online registration is available until Nov. 8, event organizers encourage early registration as space is limited. Engineering Day runs from 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Engineering Day is not open to the general public; however, media are invited to experience engineering by attending any of the 30-minute sessions.
During lunch, university engineering students will share their experiences and guide attendees through hands-on experiments like a power-generating exercise bike.
Academic advisors will provide information and answer questions about majoring in engineering and the possibilities it can create.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers reported in its 2013 Salary Survey that engineering majors accounted for seven of America’s 10 highest-paid majors. The average starting salary for 2013 graduates with a four-year degree in petroleum engineering was $93,500, computer engineers began at $71,700 and entry-level mechanical engineers earned $64,000 annually.
“Beyond pay, engineering can be immensely satisfying,” says Morgan Boyack, academic coordinator for the College of Engineering at the University of Utah. “Our students are helping people around the globe, from improving indoor cooking stoves in Nepal to creating mechanical leeches that induce blood flow and supporting neurological and cardiovascular research that saves lives.”
Signs will direct attendees and their parents to Engineering Day’s free, on-campus parking in a lot next to the Merrill Engineering building. Lunch will be provided.