Georgia Southern University is working to bring engineering education to middle and high schools around the country, and a major part of that effort will take place this week at a summer institute for teachers.

 

Georgia Southern is hosting Project Lead the Way, which is a national effort to equip middle and high school teachers with the information and skills they need to incorporate engineering into their curriculum. Teachers from around Georgia and the U.S. will spend two weeks at the University participating in hands-on lessons and activities they can take back to their classrooms.

 

“This is an incredible opportunity for teachers and for their students,” said Georgia Southern Mechanical and Electrical Engineering associate professor and Project Lead the Way affiliate director Aniruddha Mitra, Ph.D. “Project Lead the Way focuses on helping teachers really engage their students in engineering studies. The lessons the teachers will learn here and then take back to the classroom will be an important and valuable foundation for students who want to pursue engineering-related careers.”

 

A major goal of Project Lead the Way is to boost both the number of students and diversity of students who pursue engineering degrees and careers.

Georgia Southern University became a Project Lead the Way affiliate in 2006, and hosted its first summer institute a year later. In addition to the summer institutes, the University has also hosted events for guidance counselors. The university also handles certifications for Georgia schools participating in the Project Lead the Way program.