Rowan's College of Engineering takes to the road; Edison Venture Fund finances Engineers on Wheels
February 09, 2010Rowan University’s College of Engineering is going on the road.
When it does, it will unveil its latest outreach effort: Engineers on Wheels, a vibrantly colored van packed with activities to introduce various engineering disciplines to K-12 students in South Jersey and beyond, many of whom would otherwise not have a chance to learn about engineering — and the world of opportunities awaiting them in high-tech fields.
There, in the van and in the school parking lot, 70 students in eighth grade will enjoy hands-on projects such as exploring a flight simulator (electrical engineering) and building a truss bridge on a computer (civil engineering). Outside the van, they will be able to conduct their own experiments, whether it’s making lip gloss (a chemical engineering process), treating contaminated water or exploring the strength of materials (mechanical engineering). First stop: February 18 (10 a.m. to noon), when Civil & Environmental Engineering chair (and the brains and heart behind Engineers on Wheels) Dr. Kauser Jahan will lead a team to the nearby Glassboro Intermediate School to kick off the program.
Second stop will be a hop up Rt. 676 to a school in Camden (exact location and time to be determined).
But Engineers on Wheels won’t stop there. Jahan plans to take the traveling tech sessions to South Jersey area schools in neighboring counties between now and the end of the school year.
The project, she said, is an important one.
“In a time when the United States in falling behind other countries in producing engineers and other professionals in technology fields, it’s critical we reach our youth and introduce them to the world of engineering, science, technology and math,” Jahan said. “It’s important they learn early what people in these fields do, what they contribute to their world and what opportunities there are in these fields.”
While Engineers on Wheels was Jahan’s concept, and it has the full support of the College of Engineering and Rowan University, it would not be possible without outside support as well. That support came in a major way from the Lawrenceville-based Edison Venture Fund and John Martinson, its managing partner, who contributed to Rowan Engineering to bring innovative hands-on engineering lessons to youth right where they learn, their own elementary and secondary schools. Dr. Jahan also has two major collaborators on the project: Dr. Krishan Bhatia, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, and Dr. Issam Hafez Abi-El-Mona, of the Teacher Education Department.
Martinson, who noted too few area students are selecting engineering for a career, said, “My firm is in venture funding and is probably the leading supporter of emerging technology funding in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. We’re looking to make both a social and economic change so these students can go on to successful careers and make economic changes in this state.”
Last fall, Rowan Engineering began outfitting a customized van with the activities — termed engineering exploration kits — that will give the K-12 students a taste of what engineering is all about via educational modules that also happen to be fun.
The van — “wrapped” with a dramatic engineering scene — is equipped inside with a handful of stations with computers and display panels where the students can view demonstrations on engineering fundamentals and work on projects in various disciplines.
Rowan engineering students developed the activities, lesson plans and handouts for Engineers on Wheels, and students in the College’s seven professional engineering student chapters participated in the project. Initially, the Rowan team will focus at least in part on sustainability.
Jahan said that the effort is essential for a number of reasons, including reaching underrepresented groups that might not otherwise be exposed to furthering their education in science, technology, engineering or mathematics and supplementing enrichment activities at a time when some districts are feeling a financial pinch.
“Schools have limited money for educational field trips these days,” Jahan said. “Engineers on Wheels will not only bring the ‘field trip’ to the students, the project also will help students learn about a possible career field.”
Jahan hopes to offer the program to schools in Central and North Jersey by request. Additionally, the contribution from the Edison Venture Fund — which also sponsors Rowan’s Engineering Clinics for Teachers to work with middle school educators — will be used to expand engineering sessions on Rowan’s campus for K-12 educators.
“Engineers on Wheels also will provide Rowan students with a chance to become mentors and teach them that mentoring is very important, that it’s a community service,” Jahan said. “If we don’t aggressively mentor school children, we will continue to remain behind other countries in producing engineers and other technology professionals.”
“There’s an added benefit for the Rowan students,” Jahan said. “Our college students will be able to reinforce their own knowledge of engineering while sharing their enthusiasm about engineering with youth who may one day follow in their footsteps. Some may even aspire to become technology educators for our schools.”
###
