Every year, the EngineerGirl website sponsors a contest dealing with engineering and its impact on our world. This year’s theme is “Engineering and Your Community.” Look around your community for the different systems: Transportation, Water treatment, Energy, Communication, Financial security, Healthcare, Public safety and Recreation. Choose one system and do some research on how it works where you live.
Find one aspect or part of the system that can be improved and:
- Describe all the things that this part of the system needs to do and the things that might make it difficult to change, such as cost or space.
- Think of at least two engineering solutions that could improve that aspect of the system.
- Research those solutions. (Has someone else tried this solution? What worked well, and how could it be improved?)
- Choose the solution that you think would work best for your community.
Did you know? By working through these steps, you are using key elements of engineering design to solve a problem. This will help you understand and write about your solution.
All students – girls AND boys – in grades 3-12 can enter for a chance to win up to $500! The deadline to enter is Feb. 1, 2018.