On February 25, IL-ITE participated in Engineering Fest at the Chicago Architecture Center. The event was focused on teaching STEM principles to students from ages 8-14, and had as many as 110 kids pass through the exhibits. The theme was “Engineering Neighborhoods” and featured volunteers from the design and engineering fields. Activities included bridge building, LEGO construction, structures lab, wind power, simulated traffic signal, multi-modal street design, and more.
IL-ITE had strong representation at the event with Monica Shei, Kristel Shu Bassett, Katie Biggs, and Tyler Krage volunteering, and were able to talk with kids about what their days look like, how they got there, and some cool things that they get to work on. IL-ITE's hosted activities were the virtual traffic signal (where attendees learned about everything that traffic signals are thinking about to make things safe and efficient) and a multi-modal street-building activity (where attendees built their perfect street and discussed the different factors that go into making those designs happen). IL-ITE was pleased to be a part of this event, and we look forward to participating in the event next year to help inspire the next generation of transportation professionals!
