|
Mousetrap cars, trebuchets,
manila bridges, balsawood gliders, model science displays and Web design
will be among the competitions April 25 during the annual Regional MESA
Day at California State University, Fresno.
MESA stands for Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement. Regional
MESA Day attracts nearly 600 aspiring engineers and scientists from
central San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast middle and high schools for
competition that begins at 9 a.m. and runs until 5:30 p.m.
Participants earned the right to compete April 25 by placing first,
second, or third at preliminary competitions last month. While this
event will be the final level of competition for most projects, winning
teams in multitask trebuchet advance to state and, possibly, national
competitions.
Fresno State will host the state multitask trebuchet on May 9. The
nationals are in Colorado in June.
Middle and high school students have been working throughout the year
with the Lyles College of Engineering’s MESA Program, which serves
approximately 1,100 students in 22 Valley schools. They will be joined
April 25 by MESA students from programs hosted at Cal Poly, San Luis
Obispo and University of California campuses in Santa Barbara and Santa
Cruz.
The MESA program motivates and prepares disadvantaged students,
especially from underserved populations, with knowledge and skills to
enhance their interest in professions requiring degrees in engineering
and other mathematics- and science-based fields.
“MESA Day competitions encourage middle and high school students to
explore careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,”
said Louie Lopez, director of Fresno State’s MESA.
The event is also a chance to show off the Fresno State campus – and the
local area – to MESA students from other centers. In addition to the
competitions, campus tours and an Engineering Festival will take place
throughout the day.
MESA Day enjoys volunteer support from the community, Lyles College of
Engineering representatives and numerous student organizations. Fresno
State hosts this regional-level competition every four years.
|
