The Engineering Olympics has been an annual event for 19 years.It is put on by the Engineering Fundamentals Department www.ef.mtu.edu at Michigan Technological University.  It consists of a series of competitions in which high school students compete.

The purpose of the Engineering Olympics is to excite and inform high school students about the engineering profession and provide them with an opportunity to apply scientific and mathematical principles to the "real world".  This event gives students 'hand's on' challenges where they can apply knowledge gained through their high school courses. This event is held early May, and is an all day affair. Schools from the entire region (Upper Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) have participated over the years.

The Engineering Olympics, as an all day event, tends to follow a set plan.  Four main competitions are held in the morning.  These four competitions have certain criteria that must be met.  The schools are normally notified three months in advance about these competitions and are allowed the remainder of the time until the event to work on their projects. 

The students who participate are asked to work in teams of four.  Following the morning competitions a lunch is served.  After this, an on-site 'mystery' competition is held.  The On-Site Competition is kept a secret until the day of the event.  No school is given prior notice. 

The Engineering Fundamentals Department supplies all of the materials necessary, and the students are given around an hour that afternoon to do the best they can on whatever the competition happens to be. It consisted of the four competitions, Previous Engineering Olympics have included contests such as the Mackintooth Bridge, Bomb the Beanies, Robo Soccer, and Mickey on the Move, and the On-Site Competition: "Grape Juice". 

Contact Crystal at engolympics@mtu.edu

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Department of Engineering Fundamentals
Dillman Hall, 1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton,MI-49931-1295
Phone: 906-487-3057
Fax: 906-487-1620
Email: engfun@mtu.edu

A division of the Michigan Technological University College of Engineering.
Modified on:May 25, 2011

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