The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is a progressive science and technology center. Its philosophy toward science education is to make it enticing, enjoyable and motivating. It accomplishes this by means of "hands-on", interactive exhibits and programs designed to provide a non- threatening learning environment, for which we are recognized nationally. OMSI recognizes the important national need to assist the public in understanding and being comfortable with advances in, and methodology of applied science. It proposes to design and build a large exhibit that promotes problem solving using engineering principles. The exhibit will pose problems, offer basic information for the solution and provide a variety of tools and building materials from which the visitor can choose. The visitor then devises one or several possible solutions, and constructs a prototype to be tested in one of three large scale testing laboratories. The engineering fields addressed are aeronautical, mechanical and civil. Our visitors will come away from the exhibit with an increased appreciation for the way engineering is done and how solutions affect their lives. OMSI is requesting $577,324 from the National Science Foundation as well as $427,539 from the Port of Portland to design and build this exhibit. The Port of Portland is interested in demonstrating how its commercial activities relate to engineering. OMSI plans to disseminate information about the exhibit to educators and other museums on a national level.
This National Science Foundation grant was designed to expand NACME's existing information program to reach more teachers, counselors and parents of minority students at the junior and senior high school levels and, ultimately, to provide more and better information to the students themselves. Materials produced under the grant to convey the message that minority students can find rewarding, attainable careers in mathematics and science-based fields, that financial aid is available to help students prepare for such careers, that there are specific academic prerequisites for students interested in studying engineering at the college-level, and that there is a growing network of programs to encourage the study of engineering and related technical fields among under represented minority students. Specifically, this funding was used to develop, produce and distribute: "Engineering, Your Key to the 21st Century" 30,000 brochures with companion posters targeting junior high school students, parents and teachers. "Financial Aid Unscrambled: A Guide for Minority Engineering Students" 30,000 books targeting high school seniors, teachers, guidance counselors and parents. "Students Guide to Engineering Schools" 30,000 books targeting high school students, teachers, guidance counselors and parents. "MEPs/USA: The Directory of Precollege and University Minority Engineering Programs" 5,000 directories for guidance counselors, teachers, program directors and other participants in the field.