On Friday, May 20, during National Transportation Week, nearly 150 high school freshmen, sophomores and juniors will be introduced to career opportunities from experts in the field of civil engineering through hands on and classroom activities. The University of Rhode Island Transportation Center (URITC) 5th Annual Engineering Career Day, held at the University of Rhode Island from 9 am to 1 pm, will also feature a bridge building contest where participants will be judged on the strength and durability of bridges that they built prior to the event.
“For the past five years, we have given students the opportunity to learn more about civil engineering, with workshops specifically designed to provide insight into the many diverse areas of study and design,” said Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Director Michael P. Lewis, one of the program sponsors. “This year, we’re also incorporating a bridge building contest to test their abilities in a fun, yet practical manner.”
In addition to the bridge building competition, students will participate in various learning labs led by experts in the field, including: Bridge/Geotechnical; Traffic Engineering and Highway Design; Field Survey/GIS/Asset Management; and Water Resources/Environmental/Hazardous Materials/Drainage.
Along with URITC and RIDOT, sponsors of Engineering Career Day are the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), RI Consulting Engineers (RICE), and the University of Rhode Island College of Engineering. Sponsors for the Bridge Building Competition include URITC, RIDOT and RICE.
Participating Schools:
Central Falls High School; East Providence Career & Technical Center; Johnston High School; Middletown High School*; Mount Pleasant High School (Providence); Newport Area Career & Technical Center; North Smithfield High School*; North Providence High School*; Southern Rhode Island Collaborative (North Kingstown); The College Crusade of Rhode Island (Providence); The Met Center/East Bay (Newport); Times 2 Academy (Providence); Toll Gate High School (Warwick); William E. Tolman High School (Pawtucket)*
* Denotes participation in the Bridge Building Competition
Contact: Heidi Gudmundson (401) 222-1362 x. 4009