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At E-Week 2010, engineering students construct a Rube Goldberg machine to dispense a glob of hand sanitizer. The simple task to be performed by this year's complex machines is watering a plant.

UA Engineering Students Stage E-Week to Celebrate 60 Years of National Engineers Week

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UA Engineering Students Stage E-Week to Celebrate 60 Years of National Engineers Week

Feb. 17, 2011
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Clubs aim for a diverse and well-educated engineering workforce by increasing the awareness of engineering and technology careers among all university students.

A Rube Goldberg competition, a food drive, a dunk tank, and a spaghetti tower building contest are just a sample of the myriad engineering events happening during E-Week.

University of Arizona Engineers Week, aka E-Week, is organized by the Engineering Student Council and takes place from Sunday, Feb. 20, through Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011.

In celebration of E-Week 2011, a weeklong series of competitive events run and organized by various engineering clubs, organizations, and societies within the UA College of Engineering will take place on and around campus.

The UA event runs in parallel with National Engineers Week, led by Raytheon Company and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. National Engineers Week is 60 years old in 2011.

These events are part of the College's dedication to ensuring a diverse and well-educated engineering workforce by increasing the awareness of engineering and technology careers among all university students.

"Engineers Week is a great way for us to support our students' involvement in extracurricular activities on campus," said Kiona Meade, junior engineering student and E-Week coordinator.

Participating student clubs will be awarded points based on their participation and performance in each event, including community service and the many activities scheduled. At the end of the week, the top three teams will be awarded prizes of $500, $300 and $200, which will go towards funding initiatives in outreach, professional development, and increased membership, Meade said.

Events include a regional Rube Goldberg competition in which student teams will design an elaborate contraption to perform a simple task. Rube Goldberg (1883-1970) was a Pulitzer-Prize-winning cartoonist, inventor and engineer whose comical inventions still influence popular culture. Movies such as Delicatessen, Back to the Future and Brazil feature Rube Goldberg machines, and Goldberg's inventions also inspired games such as Mousetrap.

"It's a great way to promote engineering to the campus and the community," said Jeff Goldberg, dean of the UA College of Engineering. "E-Week shows that engineers can improve society and help people, and have some fun while they do it. And it's a great opportunity to get kids interested in a career in engineering."

Jim Baygents, associate dean for academic affairs at the UA College of Engineering, said that E-Week cultivates and celebrates the engineering profession. "We have great students and great student leaders," Baygents said. "The UA E-Week activities are expressions of their creative imaginations and fun-loving spirits. You can be sure that those who participate will have a good time."

E-Week also includes i-Expo, an industry career fair that attracts dozens of local and national engineering and technology companies, and recruiters from the armed forces. Their aim is to hire the best graduates in science, technology and engineering, and all UA students are encouraged to practice their elevator speeches and take their résumés. Students can talk to almost 40 companies, including Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Intel, and BAE Systems.

E-Week is sponsored by Rosemont Copper, Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, John Deere, Sulfur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative, UA Engineering Student Council, UA College of Engineering, Associated Students of the University of Arizona, and the University of Arizona.