Engineering
Engineering
Spark! Engineering is designed for students who are interested in engineering and manufacturing fundamentals, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Immerse yourself with engineers and manufacturers using tools and software to create and test 3D prototypes solving complex problems. Apply lean manufacturing processes that create value for customers and drive out the waste in production. Students experience hands-on, active learning with full immersion in real-world projects sponsored by business partners. Students work in multi-disciplinary teams to provide innovative solutions to a company’s real-world problems. Engineering projects are tailored to student interest in the fields of chemical, electrical, mechanical, civil, environmental, software/computer, architectural, advanced manufacturing, robotics, biological, and environmental.
Spark! Engineering is located at 670 Mason Ridge Center, Suite 100, St. Louis, 63141.
Click HERE to see a sample monthly calendar of events for Spark! Engineering!
Projects
A key piece of engineering is for students to learn by doing through the Project Lead the Way Engineering Design and Development (EDD) project. The knowledge and skills students acquire throughout PLTW Engineering come together in EDD as they identify a problem then research, design, and test a solution, ultimately presenting their solutions to a panel of engineers. Students apply the professional skills they have developed in Spark! to document the design process, reach out to industry and present their project in a variety of settings. Below is a sample list of projects from previous school years:
Create a way to upcycle plastic soda bottles and reduce waste
Develop a device to help make wheelchairs more user-friendly
Invent a way to cheaply separate salt from water for rural communities near the ocean
Improve bathroom motion sensors
Create an adaptation to a hair dryer that is specific to natural hair
Decrease the spread of bacteria by bathroom hand dryers
Innovate charging cords to be more durable
Creatively find alternate methods to keep shoes tied during the day
Improve posture in elementary age students by redesigning the classroom setting
Decrease accidents caused by sun glare
Design a way to utilize the vacant properties in St. Louis City
Field Experiences and Professional Excursions
Students in engineering gain greater hands-on experience of what industry looks like and are able to work side by side with industry professionals and hone both hard technical skills and essential skills for professional success. Previous field experiences and professional excursions include:
True Manufacturing
Missouri Department of Transportation
Cortex
Horner & Shifrin
Essex Industries
Mackey Mitchell Architects
Ameren
Burns and McDonnell
Cambridge Engineering
GBA
National Manufacturing Day
Washington University
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis Community College
Engineering Mentors Provided By:
Boeing
Objex Design
Burns and McDonnell