February 16, 2009
College of Engineering to dedicate Armstrong Hall exhibit space
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - |
The exhibit, funded by a $1 million grant from the John Deere Foundation, will serve a broad audience, including elementary school students, alumni from various engineering disciplines and visiting scholars.
The theme of the exhibit is "Because Dreams Need Doing." It is taken from a National Academy of Engineering study on communicating more effectively about engineering.
"With this exhibit, we will convey the message that engineers make a difference in the world," said Leah Jamieson, the John A. Edwardson dean of the College of Engineering. "We hope to join the National Academy in inspiring young people to think of engineering as a career where they can realize their dreams."
The 2,000-square-foot exhibit uses state-of-the-art media technology to emphasize the role of engineering in addressing society's challenges. The exhibit focuses on four areas: health, energy, environment and space. It includes interactive elements, special effects, video, audio and text.
While it will provide new views of engineering for alumni and engineering professionals, the exhibit is specifically designed to spark interest in engineering among elementary school children.
"With our focus on innovation, we are especially pleased that this display will tell young people about the important role of engineering in our world and encourage them to consider exciting careers in the engineering field," said John Bustle, vice president of the John Deere Foundation.
Armstrong Hall, which opened in fall 2007, provides educational and research facilities dedicated to teamwork, hands-on learning, community-service learning and interdisciplinary connections.
It houses the dean's office; the Schools of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Materials Engineering and Engineering Education; Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS), Women in Engineering and Minority Engineering programs; and the Ideas to Innovation Learning Laboratory.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. The dedication ceremony, at 11 a.m., is by invitation only, but schoolchildren are welcome to stop by after noon.
Teachers and other group leaders interested in arranging exhibit tours should contact Daniel Somerville at the College of Engineering at (765) 496-2449, dsomervi@purdue.edu.
Writer: Judith Barra Austin, (765) 494-2432, jbaustin@purdue.edu
Sources: Leah Jamieson, (765) 494-5346, lhj@purdue.edu
John Bustle, (390) 748-7960, bustlejohnw@johndeere.com
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Note to Journalists: Journalists interested in covering the dedication ceremony should contact Judith Barra Austin, Purdue News Service, at (765) 494-2432, jbaustin@purdue.edu
PHOTO CAPTION:
Workers from BossDisplay of Columbus, Ohio, install a permanent exhibit in the Purdue College of Engineering's Armstrong Hall. The interactive multimedia exhibit, which will be dedicated Wednesday (Feb. 18), is especially designed to spark an interest in engineering careers among elementary school students. (Purdue News Service photo/Andrew Hancock)
A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2009/engineering-exhibit.jpg
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