Discover Engineering Family Day Celebrates 20th Anniversary at National Building Museum on Saturday

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Would you like to meet an astronaut, drive a car without sight and build your own helicopter? If so, Discover Engineering Family Day at Washington's National Building Museum is the place for you Saturday.

Family Day, celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year, draws 7,000-10,000 children, parents, teachers, engineers and technologists each year. It is designed to introduce children – mostly in the 4- to 12-year-old range – to the wonder of engineering and promote technological literacy. Guests will learn how engineers are creative problem-solvers who help make the world a safer, more enjoyable place to live.

Family Day (http://www.engineeringfamilyday.org/) is a program of the National Engineers Week Foundation and kicks off EWeek activities in the nation's capital. Nearly 30 exhibitors will be on hand to present basic science and engineering principles through hands-on and mind-challenging activities. Dr. Roger Crouch, a payload specialist on two Space Shuttle Columbia missions, will sign autographs throughout the day.

The FOX 5 Morning News previewed Family Day on Thursday. The first segment featured an event overview and robotics demonstration from Booz Allen Hamilton: http://www.myfoxdc.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8375636

A Blind Driver Challenge simulator from the National Federation of the Blind was highlighted next: http://www.myfoxdc.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8376115

The third segment featured a discussion of the important contributions of black engineers and a look at the Smart Grid from IEEE-USA: http://www.myfoxdc.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8376158

Getting There

The National Building Museum is at 401 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. (between 4^th and 5^th Streets). The museum does not have onsite parking, but it is available nearby. Visitors are encouraged to use Metro's Red Line and exit at the Judiciary Square Metro Station.

Discover Engineering Family Day runs from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free, but a $5 donation is suggested.

IEEE-USA helped launch the first Family Day in 1993. The major event sponsors for 2013 are IEEE-USA, the National Building Museum, NCEES, Booz Allen Hamilton, the Northrop Grumman Foundation and the National Engineers Week Foundation.

IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of more than 205,000 engineering, computing and technology professionals who are U.S. members of IEEE.  

Web: www.ieeeusa.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ieeeusa
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ieeeusa
Benefits of IEEE membership: www.ieee.org/join  

SOURCE IEEE-USA