Minnesota State celebrates Engineering and Technology Day today in honor of a discipline that has, literally, helped build the foundations of the university.
The event will give the public access to several labs and projects in the engineering department and a chance to talk shop with some of MSU's engineering professors. Guests will also be shown scientific demonstrations of key engineering principles and will be provided with information about opportunities for study in the department, which offers degrees in three types of engineering - Mechanical, Electrical and Civil. This year's event will be the second celebration of engineering at MSU, the first of which was attended by more than 250 students during spring 2008.
"[Engineering Day] is basically a day for students and professors to come together and talk about engineering," said event coordinator John Scheierl. "We'll have instructors available to answer questions about the program and discuss current events in engineering, and provide access to labs in the department where guests can see on-going or completed projects by students and faculty."
Activities planned for the day include a general tour of the engineering department and its facilities, which will allow prospective students to get a feel for the atmosphere if they're considering a degree in engineering, and an extended scavenger hunt that will cover areas in the Centennial Student Union and Trafton buildings. The winning teams of the scavenger hunt will have a chance to win gift certificates from several vendors in Mankato, including Hy-Vee and the Coffee Hag on Riverfront Drive. Pizza and soda will be available on a first come, first serve basis before the scavenger hunts begins.
"[I] had a pretty good time at last year's Engineering Day," said Tom Fritz, a physics major and sophomore at MSU. "I can't complain about free food and drinks, and there's always some cool stuff being worked on in the [engineering] department. Plus the professors like it when they see students they know there."
The festivities will begin at noon in the CSU Ballroom, with pizza and soda available immediately. Guests are encouraged to ask questions about the program or bring up any news of interest to the department. At 1 p.m. the scavenger hunt will begin and continue until late afternoon, when the winners will be announced and awarded prizes.
Matt Sauer is a Reporter staff writer
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