Engineering Tomorrow Expands Free Virtual Labs to Texas High Schools

NASA space vehicle's engineer, GM leader on-deck in nonprofit's line-up to bring students real-world applications and exposure to engineering professionals

DALLAS and HOUSTON, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Engineering Tomorrow, a national nonprofit dedicated to broadening an awareness and hands-on exploration to the world of engineering, is amplifying its presence across Texas this spring beginning with two exciting virtual labs open to high school students statewide. More than 115,000 U.S. students across all 50 states have been reached through 208,000 Engineering Tomorrow labs to date, and already more than 36 Texas high schools have participated in labs.

According to labor projections, the Texas Education Agency says Texas is expected to have the second-highest percentage of the nation's future STEM jobs, making access to engineering insights and experiences all the more crucial for high schoolers looking ahead to collegiate areas of academic study.

"In addition to Texas' strong engineering foothold through its oil, aerospace and aviation, manufacturing, and information technology industries, it's evident we need to be exposing the state's students to the array of opportunities waiting to be uncovered," said Dr. Timothy J. McNiff, executive director of Engineering Tomorrow. "Of the students who have participated in an Engineering Tomorrow lab, 25 percent go on to declare engineering as their major their freshman year of college. Of those students, 40 percent are minority and 26 percent are female."

Free to participate and with all equipment and supplies provided at no charge, Engineering Tomorrow labs are guided by a team of professional engineers and are designed to introduce high school students to a variety of career paths and the multifaceted, impactful applications engineering has in our everyday lives. Bringing together a vast network of professional engineers and college students currently majoring in the field, and working with high school teachers across multiple course subjects, the nonprofit aims to foster diversity and ignite interest in the next generation of engineers.

Teachers can get their classrooms involved in two ways: by signing up to attend a virtual special lab event or scheduling their own self-paced virtual lab.

Special Lab Events

Engineering Tomorrow's free virtual special lab events give students the ability to learn from and ask questions to leading industry experts. Each event is live-streamed from 10 a.m. – 2 pm, which consists of an introduction to the topic, a lab challenge, Q&A with collegian from the nation's top universities, and a keynote from some of engineering's brightest leaders. Upon a teacher signing up, Engineering Tomorrow provides all accompanying materials at no cost to the schools, teachers, or students.

On Tuesday, March 14, Milton Davis, Space Vehicle Manager at NASA, will lead a Space Vehicles special lab event where students will create their own rocket that successfully counteracts its gravitational weight and launches to the ceiling.

On Monday, April 24, Telva McGruder, Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer at General Motors, will lead an Electric Vehicles special lab event where students will build an electric vehicle using a solar cell to charge the vehicle's battery.

"It's a joy to be part of empowering, motivating, and inspiring the future of engineering," Davis said. "The engaging, hands-on experience that Engineering Tomorrow provides goes beyond the textbook — it opens the door to the world of engineering to a diversity of perspectives, which will ultimately strengthen our industry as a whole."

Self-Paced Labs

High school teachers can also integrate Engineering Tomorrow seamlessly with their current curriculum when signing up for the wide variety of labs for students. From 3D printing to aerodynamics to robotics, each purpose-driven lab simulates a meaningful real-world scientific and engineering challenge and comes equipped with virtual presentations, student workbooks, and teacher guides.

For instance, in the Machine Learning lab, students deploy the engineering design process to construct their own catapult and develop a mathematical model to predict the distance an object will fly when launched. The accompanying workbook explores the impact of machine learning in our daily lives.

"This expansion into Texas allows me to give my students exposure to experiences they wouldn't traditionally have access to," stated one high school teacher in the Houston area. "The hands-on aspect of Engineering Tomorrow takes learning to the next level."

To learn more, visit engineeringtomorrow.org/labs. To register for an upcoming special lab event, fill out the online request form.

For additional images, go here.

About Engineering Tomorrow

Engineering Tomorrow was founded in 2014 by former CEO of GE Infrastructure Bill Woodburn, who was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2023, to show students the excitement of a career in engineering through virtual labs, mentorship, and hands-on instruction. The nonprofit is supported by founding sponsor Global Infrastructure Partners and a growing list of corporate and academic partners that share in the mission to inspire the next generation of engineers and build a stronger, more innovative world — one that fosters diverse perspectives for the greater good of humankind.

Media Contact
Alex Edwards, [email protected], 281-248-3829

SOURCE Engineering Tomorrow