The ESB: Maryland Engineering Challenges
Maryland’s Premier K -12 Student Math, Science & Technology Problem Solving Event
Supporting the Challenge Events
Companies and individuals who would like to help by volunteering or making contributions toward the costs of funding the challenges are invited to contact:
ESB – William R. Gluck, P.E.
Chair, Engineers Week Council
410.767.4439
Email: bill.gluck@dgs.state.md.us
An informational PowerPoint CD is available
History of Maryland’s Engineering Challenges
The Engineering Challenges as we know them today have evolved from a number of different initiatives from groups of engineers, educators and people involved with the Baltimore Museum of Industry. The first Engineering Challenge held at the Baltimore Museum of Industry (BMI) took place in 1991 and comprised a single event- a middle school challenge to make a cargo crane out of drinking straws. The 1992 event was given a great boost by the interest of then Governor William Donald Schaefer, who opened the event and spent two hours signing T-shirts. Mayor Kurt Schmoke and Nancy Grasmick were other visitors over the years. The challenges have appeared in TV programs, as well as newspaper and magazine articles.
Early Challenges took place solely during National Engineers Week - the third week in February, occurring near the birthday of the nation's first engineer, George Washington. However, by 1995 it was realized that this schedule is too difficult to accommodate many middle and high schools, which have a change of class in late January. By 1995, the present pattern of holding two challenges during Engineers' Week, and the remaining events during the following months, had been established.
The events have grown significantly over the years. The 1991 challenges involved only 31 teams. In recent years close to 300 teams have participated. The challenges keep changing, too. The year 2000 saw the introduction of the Paper Plane, Hovercraft and Recycling challenges, and 2001 brought the start of a partnership with NASA, and the inclusion of the Earth and Space challenge, with the first round taking place on-line. For 2008, the Eco-Power Challenge has been added to focus on environmentally friendly, renewable energy resources. The overall purpose of the challenges remains the same, however, to introduce young people to the excitement of careers in engineering and technology. We were delighted to find that one of our young Professional Engineering judges had taken part in an early Wood Bridge challenge, and other, more recent contestants are now studying Engineering in college. We look forward to following their careers, and are keen to hear news of others who may be following the same path.
Did you know?
THE ENGINEERING SOCIETY OF BALTIMORE is the cultural capital for Engineering in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. The Engineers Club of Baltimore was started just a year after the devastating fire of Baltimore in 1904, as a way to develop standards and share information for the subsequent rebuilding of the city. Carrying on the tradition, the ESB has been instrumental in educating countless professionals for half a century. The ESB, housed in the Garrett Jacobs Mansion, is the meeting place for engineering interests in the city and surrounding area.