News

Over 250 Middle School and High School Students to Compete

MESA (Math, Engineering, Science, Achievement) Day 2007, an event designed to attract more middle and high school students to science, technology and engineering careers, will bring over 250 diverse middle school and high school students from the greater Portland area to Portland State University.

Participants will tackle science and engineering challenges such as trebuchet (catapult) building, bridge design and the infamous egg drop. They will also show projects they have worked on in teams to prepare for MESA Day, and two teams will earn a trip to represent Oregon at the National MESA USA competition in Maryland. PSU students, faculty members and local industry professionals from companies such as Intel and IBM will volunteer as judges for the competitions. Lead sponsors for the event include Intel Oregon and The Lemelson Foundation.


MESA Day 2007 will take place Friday, May 18, 2007, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Portland State University Peter Stott Center (930 SW Hall). Competitions and hands-on activities will run from approximately 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Media interested in photos of students in action should contact David Coronado, program director, at 503-725-4268, and attend between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The awards ceremony starts at 2 p.m.

Oregon MESA
Oregon MESA is a pre-college academic program of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science at PSU. It is dedicated to engaging under-represented students and girls, grades 6–12, in hands-on math, engineering, science and technology projects during weekly chapter meetings. More than 400 students in 13 public middle and high schools in the Portland Metro Area are participating in MESA programs. This academic year MESA chapters include Brown, Binnsmead, Gregory Heights, Meadow Park, Ockley Green, Portsmouth and Poynter middle schools, as well as Benson, Grant, Gresham, Marshall and Joseph L. Meek high schools. Oregon MESA is a member of MESA USA, a partnership of MESA programs from eleven states.

Intel Oregon
Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information is available at www.intel.com/pressroom. Intel Oregon is Intel's largest and most comprehensive site in the world. For more information visit www.intel.com/community/Oregon.

The Lemelson Foundation
Founded by Jerome Lemelson, one of U.S. history's most prolific inventors, The Lemelson Foundation celebrates and supports inventors and entrepreneurs in order to strengthen social and economic life. To date, the Foundation has donated or committed more than $100 million in support of its mission in the U.S. and in developing countries. For more information visit www.lemelson.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (#07-061)

Source: David Coronado (503-725-4268)
Program Director, Oregon MESA