Event:
Ms. Wizard Day 2003
When: Saturday, February 1, 2003 9am - 3
pm
Where: University of Notre Dame
EERI Members Participating in Academic Fair:
President Brian Morgen, Vice President Brad Weldon, Secretary Tiphaine Williams,
Treasurer Devin Brown, Tracy Kijewski-Correa, Nelson Duran, Hua Jiang, and Dr.
Wilasa.
EERI Members Participating in Lab Activity:
President Brian Morgen, Vice President Brad Weldon, Secretary Tiphaine Williams,
Treasurer Devin Brown, Tracy Kijewski-Correa, Nelson Duran, and Dr. Wilasa.
Summary: The EERI
Notre Dame Student Chapter was one of the many student organizations
that participated in Ms. Wizard Day on February 1, 2003 on the campus of the
University of Notre Dame. The program, funded by a number of local businesses,
brings elementary school girls from the
South Bend area together for a day of math and science activities. The festivities
began at 9 am in the form of an Academic Fair featuring professions heavily
relying on math and science. EERI officers and members spent an hour with the
girls explaining the important roles structural engineers play in society, particularly
in earthquake-prone areas.
After a special seminar and a visit to campus dorms for lunch, the girls began
three hours of lab activities, including
a one-hour adaptation of the chapter's existing Shakes
and Quakes outreach program. Coordinated by EERI's President
Brian Morgen, the activity encouraged teams of three to play the roles of architect,
owner and engineer and construct a building of LEGO blocks. Following a presentation
by EERI ex-President Tracy Kijewski-Correa, the teams were assisted by EERI
members and began designing their buildings, faced with the competing objectives
of aesthetics, rental profits and structural safety
under earthquakes. The teams developed a number of impressive designs with towering
spires, balconies and even a helipad!
The LEGO buildings were then tested in the Shake Off competition using a portable earthquake table mimicking a gradually intensifying earthquake. The surviving building was deemed the most earthquake-proof, earning that team honorary degrees in structural engineering. The team responsible for the most beautiful building similarly warranted an honorary architecture degree, and the design that maximized the available rental space for the most profits was presented with an owner's achievement award. The winners were able to share with their families elegant certificates marking these achievements.
At
the end of the day, it became evident that the activity had made a lasting impact
not only on the young students, who voted this particular lab activity one
of the favorites in an exit survey, but also on the participating
EERI members. The enthusiasm surrounding EERI's participation even attracted
area newspapers and television crews, who featured the outreach activity on
the evening news.