Alvernia University will be hosting our fourth Engineer's Week celebration from February 22-28, 2026. 

Designing the Future:  Engineering with a Purpose

Engineering is one of the clearest ways to create real-world impact at scale. Engineers help deliver clean water, safer infrastructure, reliable energy, advanced medical technology, and resilient supply chains. The profession is also entering a new era shaped by rapid advances in computing, materials, manufacturing, automation, and data, which are changing how ideas move from concept to deployment.

As the Engineers Week keynote, Peter Rye, Chief Strategy Officer at Brentwood Industries, will speak about engineering, its benefits to society, and the field’s exciting trajectory. Peter grew up in Reading after early childhood in Denmark and Canada, and he earned undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering from Lehigh University. He began his career in aerospace with Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin) before returning to Brentwood Industries, where he later led the company as President and CEO for 14 years and now serves as Chief Strategy Officer. 

Brentwood Industries is the lead sponsor of Engineers Week at Alvernia University this year.

Date and time: February 24, 14:00–15:15

Location: Bernardine Hall Lecture Hall

Address: 400 Saint Bernardine Street, Reading, PA 19607

Parking: Lot C

Campus map: https://www.alvernia.edu/sites/default/files/2024-03/2024-campus-map-alvernia-university.jpg 

Brentwood website: https://www.brentwoodindustries.com/ 

Peter Rye LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-rye-a8374a36/ 

This Engineering Jam is the 4th-annual, free, one-day hands-on engineering competition for grades 6–12. Student teams will tackle a surprise design challenge and sketch, build, test, and present their solution in a fun competition with separate middle school and high school brackets.