Page 43 - Engineering Career Guide for UT Austin

ENGINEERING CAREER GUIDE 43
The United States Naval Academy is committed to inspiring more
kids to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and
math (STEM). A recent “Girls Only STEM Day” drew middle-school
girls who designed and built a catapult launch-and-capture sys-
tem to simulate delivering humanitarian aid under adverse condi-
tions such as natural disasters and wartime. Other USNA-hosted
events include summer STEM programs, outreach trips to loca-
tions like Hawaii and San Diego, an underwater remotely oper-
ated vehicle (ROV) program, robotics competitions, and much
more. Attend the Naval Academy, and you could be part of it!
Racing in Concrete
Connecting With Kids
Every year, teams of
engineering students
from across the U.S.
and Canada do the
seemingly impossible:
make concrete float.
Sponsored by the
American Society of
Civil Engineers, the Na-
tional Concrete Canoe
Competition allows civil
engineering students to
gain hands-on, practical experience by working with concrete mix de-
signs to build a working boat. Expanding student understanding of the
versatility of materials is important, but so is building teamwork and
project management skills. In 2023, California Polytechnic State Uni-
versity, San Luis Obispo (pictured), beat out 19 other teams for first
place. Youngtown State took second place.
The EPICS (Engineering Projects in
Community Service) program founded
at Purdue University is an innovative
initiative that connects engineering stu-
dents with real-world challenges facing
local and global communities. It encour-
ages students to apply their technical
skills to address societal needs and make
a difference in people’s lives. Purdue’s
success with the program has led to the
creation of EPICS programs in engineer-
ing schools nationwide.
Students work in teams on projects
that span various domains, including
healthcare, environment, education, and
more. These projects are proposed and
developed in collaboration with commu-
nity partners, ensuring that the solutions
are relevant and beneficial to the in-
tended recipients. Since 2009, EPICS has
facilitated over 180 projects in over 30
countries, impacting more than 291,000
people.
EPICS focuses on experiential learn-
ing, providing hands-on experience in
project management, teamwork, and
communication while honing engineering
abilities. The program fosters a culture of
giving back and instills social responsibil-
ity, inspiring students to use their exper-
tise for the greater good. Witnessing the
direct impact of their projects on people’s
lives, students develop empathy and a
deeper understanding of their engineer-
ing work’s broader implications.
Doing Good Work—
and Getting Credit
PHOTOS COURTESY THE SCHOOLS