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National Engineer’s Week

This week is National Engineers Week!

This week-long event recognizes engineers as a central asset to our world and celebrates their “positive contributions to quality of life,” according to the National Society of Engineers.

Engineers created structures like the Hoover Dam, the Panama Canal, and even the Great Wall of China! Without engineers, these massive and impressive feats would have never come to be.

Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, National Engineers Week has coincided for over 50 years with the week of President George Washington’s birthday (February 22nd) to pay homage to the nation’s first engineer. Washington was introduced to engineering at an early age, often partaking in land surveying opportunities and ultimately going on to design a country estate on a plantation he’d inherited — Mount Vernon.

Each year, DiscoverE (http://www.discovere.org/), an organization focused on supporting and promoting growth of the engineering and technology communities, encourages children to explore the STEM community through interactive lessons, child-friendly activities, and involvement with their own local engineering communities.

Across the nation in cities like Port Jefferson, NY; Raleigh, NC; and Los Angeles, CA, DiscoverE hosts a series of workshops and presentations to promote the importance of engineering. Children are able to meet and speak with veteran engineers, participate in fun, educational activities, and learn about the global scale of engineered contributions.

For more information on upcoming STEM events sponsored by DiscoverE, visit http://www.discovere.org.

 

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • • 0 Comments

National Static Electricity Day

National Static Electricity Day is celebrated every year on January 9th.

Static electricity is defined by Library of Congress as “an imbalance between negative and positive charges in objects.” This type of reaction can occur to any of us because we can see, feel, and hear its reaction. Static electricity is harmless and can occur in more than just one form of static shock, such as rubbing a balloon against your clothes and sticking it on the walls or even on your hair to make your hair raise.

The first person to speak about static electricity was Thales of Miletus, a Greek philosopher, when he noticed dust was sticking to his ambers after he rubbed them; but it wasn’t until many years later that the term “electricity” was established, and that’s when humankind started to understand and research more about the concept of static electricity. Now, National Static Electricity Day is celebrated because it has become an essential aspect of and shaped our everyday lives in many positive ways. For example, thanks to static electricity and electric engineering developments, factories’ air pollution can be managed.

Here are some fun facts about static electricity:

  • Lightning is known to be a form of static electricity due to electric charge exchange between clouds;
  • Static electricity could be the future source to solve our energy problems; and
  • Photocopy machines use static electricity to place ink on paper.

If you want to learn more about science and static electricity, please visit: https://www.sciencemadesimple.com/static.html

 

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • • 0 Comments

National Safe Digging Month

Regardless of any lingering chill in the air, spring has officially sprung and most homeowners are happy to trade in their snow blowers for lawn mowers. This is the time of year when people start to make landscaping and gardening plans. Not only is April the first full month of spring, it is also National Safe Digging Month. While many homeowners may be thinking about planting gardens, starting home improvement projects, and sprucing up their properties, it is always important to remember to call 811 before ANY dig. 811 is a national hotline that allows property owners, landscapers, and others to determine where they can safely dig. Whether you’re getting ready to excavate your backyard in order to add an in-ground pool, or want to plant some flowers, no digging project – no matter how small – should be started without first calling 811. Why? Because utility lines can be buried just a few inches underground, and without ensuring that the spot you’re digging in is free of utility lines, you could unintentionally damage them. In doing so, you could wind up damaging property, inadvertently cause power outages, and incurring costly fines and fees.

So how does calling 811 work?

First, make the call at least a few days before you dig. Let the representative know exactly where you plan to dig. They will then notify your local utilities operators. The utilities workers will come to your property and mark out where any utility lines are buried. Once any utility line locations have been marked, you can plan to avoid these areas and safely proceed with your project. Once your project is complete, you can enjoy the results of your hard work!

For more information about safe digging, visit http://call811.com/.

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • • 0 Comments

Engineers Are Celebrated During National Engineers Week

This week is National Engineers Week! This week-long event recognizes engineers as a central asset to our world and celebrates their “positive contributions to quality of life,” according to the National Society of Engineers.

Engineers designed structures like the Hoover Dam, the Panama Canal, and even the Great Wall of China! Without engineers, these massive and impressive feats would have never come to be.

Inaugurated by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, National Engineers Week has coincided for over 50 years with the week of President George Washington’s birthday (February 22nd) to pay homage to the nation’s first engineer president. Washington was introduced to engineering at an early age, often partaking in land surveying opportunities and ultimately going on to design a country estate on a plantation he’d inherited — Mount Vernon.

Each year, DiscoverE, an organization focused on supporting and promoting growth of the engineering and technology communities, encourages children to explore the STEM community through interactive lessons, child-friendly activities, and involvement with their own local engineering communities. Across the nation in cities like Port Jefferson, NY; Raleigh, NC; and Los Angeles, CA; DiscoverE hosts a series of workshops and presentations to promote the importance of engineering. Children are able to meet and speak with veteran engineers, participate in fun, educational activities, and learn about the global scale of engineered contributions. For more information on upcoming science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) events sponsored by DiscoverE, visit http://www.discovere.org.