By Amanda Hargett-Granato | Reporter
The Baylor School of Engineering and Computer Science is hosting ECS Week 2017 next week in honor of National Engineers Week. The week will include several large events, as well as two industry panels, all of which are open to anyone.
Kansas City junior Elliott Jost is the chair of the Baylor chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, one of the engineering organizations helping put on the event.
“I really think engineering has shaped the way I think about the world,” Jost said. “Engineering is all about problem solving and coming up with intuitive solutions to improve the quality of life of people. I think people who don’t study engineering miss that creative and innovative side.”
ECS Week will include creative engineering challenges such as a pinewood derby, an egg drop challenge and an engineering-geared “Amazing Race” around Baylor. Those interested in taking part in the challenges can sign up with American Society of Mechanical Engineers at https://asmebaylor.wixsite.com/asme/ecs-week. There will be two “build days” for the pinewood derby, and help and materials to compete in the race will be provided. The event will bring together several engineering organizations, and Jost said he thinks it will help build up the engineering and computer science communities.
“Everybody has this perception of engineering, but we really want to show them what it can be, what it should be and what it is,” Jost said.
The industry panels will include several alumni and will discuss useful information for undergraduates and how professionals manage their work and life balance. Houston senior Taylor McCants, president of the Society of Women Engineers, said the events are intended to get Baylor engineers together to collaborate with one another, mentioning that learning to work with a team is important in the engineering field.
“We have such a reputation of just textbooks and studying late, but we have a fun side, and we want to do those fun things too,” McCants said. “So making time and planning these events is always worth it.”
In addition to the festivities, several high schools will be touring Baylor on Monday with a focus on engineering and computer science. Engineering students will talk to the high schoolers about the benefits of a STEM major. McCants said she thinks ECS Week will give people a chance to take part in engineering without having to worry about the math. A list of events can be found at https://asmebaylor.wixsite.com/asme/ecs-week.
“There’s an engineer in everyone,” McCants said. “The way we see engineering is just problem solving, and people are problem solving all the time. I think it’d be awesome to get more people involved and celebrating engineers.”
