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Future Engineers
Buildings Home > Future Engineers

Novak Teaches Teachers

As part of PCA’s community outreach program, Lawrence Novak, PCA’s director of engineered buildings, participated in the first Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Leadership forum for Illinois high school teachers on January 29, 2010.

The special full day event attracted more than 140 educators and included panel discussions on how to enrich student education in math, science, engineering and sustainability. The attendees were also given a tour of the new state-of-the art, completely reconfigurable, STEM research lab at Niles North High School in Skokie, Ill., which allows students to be involved in independent research. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) was the opening speaker and stressed President Obama’s “Educate to Innovate” campaign and the importance of reinvigorating science education.

PCA’s Novak Presents Sustainable Design at Teacher Workshop

Novak presenting at Green Building Workshop Lawrence Novak, director of engineered buildings at PCA, discussed how to teach sustainable design at the Green Building Workshop for grade school and high school teachers on May 19 and 20 at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. Novak covered building materials, the role of the design professional, green building aspects, LEED, and teaching strategies. Interactive discussions and demonstrations revolved around smart design, material efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency and healthy environments.

Per Sara Tschaen, Senior Education Coordinator with the Center for the Advancement of Science Education, PCA’s “presentation was really engaging, and the demonstrations made some of the design principles much more clear for me and for the teachers in attendance”. Included in the workshop was a tour of the museum’s new green Smart Home rated “Chicago’s Greenest Home” which utilizes exterior cement panel siding donated by Cembonit to add protection from the elements and thermal mass. The museum’s written description for the siding states that “cement is a green material, plus the color is integrated into the material, rather than needing paint applied (long-lasting, low-maintenance)”. The teacher workshop program is designed to assist teachers in encouraging young minds to explore the full spectrum of sustainability for the future.

Teachers attending sustainable green builidng workshop

Concrete Engineering on Full Display During Engineering Week Expo

The DuPage Area Engineers Week Expo, held February 21, 2009 at the Illinois Institute of Technology Wheaton, Ill., campus, drew more than 1,200 attendees interested in learning more about the science behind building.

As part of the expo, PCA Director of Engineered Buildings Larry Novak presented "Buildings to shake-rattle and roll!" to four standing-room-only crowds. The seminar allowed children to build Lego skyscrapers and test if they could withstand a miniature earthquake. Sponsored by the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois, the presentation highlighted sustainable high-rise building design and illustrated the concepts of seismic design.

Lego skyscrapers SEAOI members Presentation to students

 

PCA Recognizes Young Creative Minds

In conjunction with National Engineers Week, Chicago engineering societies hosted on January 26, 2008 a student design competition for area schools. The contest, known as the “Future City Competition”, required middle grade students with the assistance of an engineer mentor, to design a future city.

According to Bob Johnson, spokesman for the Chicago program, the competition is in the sixteenth year and is the only one of the 40 regional programs that has completed all years. Regional chairman Don Wittmer notes, “It is exciting to see the interaction between the students and witness the enthusiasm that these students have in learning about engineering and the real life problems that are encountered every day. Our hope is that this competition helps students consider the possibility of studying engineering when they attend college.”

Team from Franklin Middle School and their winning Project “Qubitersum”
A city of the future – “Qubitersum” -- designed by eighth grade students from Franklin Middle School, Wheaton, won the Chicago Regional National Engineers Week Future City Competition™. Qubitersum is the name for the new city established in the desert of Australia. Qubitersum has many great features. One of the greatest is that spray-on solar cells are used to power all of the city buildings. Within these spray-on solar cells are nanoscale spectrometers that are aware of when day changes to night and there is no more sunlight. When this happens the sensors tell the fuel cells to take over the process of keeping power running in the city. There is also a wonderful maglev transportation system.

Team from Keller Regional Gifted Center and their winning Project “Equilibria”
PCA provided a special award for the project which exhibited the “Best Use of Concrete in Building Technology”. This special award was won by the students from the Keller Regional Gifted Center for their project “Equilibria” which featured a two tiered city with towers above and a mass transportation center below. Each student received an individual plaque and a $50 US Savings Bond and the school received one large plaque for display. PCA commends all the students who participated for their effort and creative solutions.

Student Mariel Tader (age 14) said, “It was fun experience learning about the different branches of engineering”. “Future City is a great learning experience”, I wish I could do it every year," comments Karen Suarez (age 13).

 

 

Reaching for the Stars—Bringing Structural Concepts to Life

Larry Novak and sonStructural engineer Lawrence Novak (manager of building structures for PCA and SEAOI board member) and his son Alex Novak, age 10, presented structural engineering and “green” building design as part of the PACE (Parents and Community for Excellence) 2nd annual “Reach for the Stars!” event for Oswego, Ill., district 308 students held May 12, 2008. The program is a celebration of academically talented grade school students and the teachers who enable them to reach for the stars every day.

L.  Novak and studentsLawrence encouraged students to compare building structures with those found in nature. The presentation engaged the student audience with the fascinating possibilities for their future. Per Pam Nagel, the organizer of the event, “the juxtaposition of Mr. Novak’s worldwide travel experience and totally approachable style of presentation completely WOWed everyone in the audience. Even my "know-it-all," 8th grade son appreciated what he had to share with everyone. From interactive visual aids (the fossilized dinosaur egg and shark tooth were my personal favorites), to windmill analogies, his presentation truly brought structural concepts to life in a tangible way.”

150 students and parents attended the evening events which featured interactive displays and presentations that are fun and educational, designed to enhance children’s interest in math, science, and of course engineering.




 
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