Engineer it Competition back at Cox Science Center and Aquarium
WELCOME BACK. WPBF IS A PROUD PARTNER OF THE SCIENCE CENTER AND AQUARIUM, AND THIS YEAR, THE ENGINEERING COMPETITION IS BACK FOR ITS 39TH YEAR. TO TELL US ALL ABOUT IT IS THE CENTER’S DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, CHRIS PATE. NICE TO SEE YOU, CHRIS. HOW ARE YOU DOING? DOING WELL. HOW ARE YOU THIS MORNING? GOOD. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. TELL US ABOUT THE ENGINEERING COMPETITION. SURE. SO THIS IS OUR 39TH ANNUAL ENGINEERING COMPETITION, WHICH IS A COMPETITION THAT INVOLVES DIFFERENT ENGINEERING CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE IN, THINGS LIKE EGG DROPS, ROCKET LAUNCHES, SPAGHETTI TOWER BUILDING. AND IT’S OPEN TO STUDENTS IN FIRST THROUGH 12TH GRADES. THEY CAN COMPETE IN COMPETITIONS, AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN CASH PRIZES. ALL RIGHT. OKAY, GREAT. SO WHY IS THIS SO, SO GREAT FOR STUDENTS WHO ENJOY SCIENCE? AND I GUESS PROBLEM SOLVING? YEAH. SO YOU MENTIONED PROBLEM SOLVING, WHICH IS A GREAT SKILL TO HAVE NO MATTER WHAT YOU’RE DOING, BUT IT’S A FUN WAY TO LEARN THINGS LIKE PROBLEM SOLVING, THE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN PROCESS, THE ITERATING AND IMPROVING ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT THINGS TO, TO, TO BUILD YOUR SKILLS IN. AND THIS IS JUST A FUN WAY TO DO THAT. ALL RIGHT. WHEN IS THE EVENT AND HOW CAN STUDENTS SIGN UP? SO THE EVENT IS APRIL 18TH THROUGH SATURDAY, AND STUDENTS CAN SIGN UP ON THE SCIENCE CENTER WEBSITE. IF YOU GO TO THE EVENTS TAB, IT’LL BE UNDER THEIR ENGINEER IT AND THEY CAN JUST CLICK ON THE REGISTER BUTTON. AND WHAT DOES THAT SIGN UP LOOK LIKE? IS THERE ANY CERTAIN, I GUESS, BACKGROUND YOU HAVE TO HAVE CRITERIA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? NOPE. EVERYBODY’S WELCOME. AS LONG AS YOU’RE A STUDENT IN FIRST THROUGH 12TH GRADES, HOMESCHOOL FAMILY, SIBLINGS, TRADITIONAL SCHOOL, EVERYBODY IS WELCOME. AND ARE THOSE COMPETITIONS BASED ON THE AGE LIKE DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS? YEAH, CORRECT. SO WE’LL SPLIT THEM UP INTO ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS, COMPETING AGAINST STUDENTS OF THEIR OWN GRADE LEVELS. BUT EACH LEVEL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN PRIZES. I BET IT’S SUCH A FUN COMPETITION FOR PARENTS AND FOR STAFF MEMBERS TO WATCH AS WELL. YEAH, IT’S A GREAT DAY. YOU CAN COME AND SEE. THE ROCKET COMPETITION IS A REALLY POPULAR DRAW. YOU SEE THE ROCKETS GOING, YOU KNOW, 100FT IN THE AIR. THE EGG DROP FPL BRINGS OUT THEIR BUCKET TRUCK AND WE DROP EGGS FROM 50FT IN THE AIR TO SEE IF THEY SURVIVED THE FALL. AND WE HAVE VENDORS OUT. IT’S JUST IT’S LIKE A BIG PARTY OUTSIDE AND IT’S REALLY NICE WEATHER SO THEY DON’T HAVE TO BRING ANYTHING. EVERYTHING IS THERE OVER AT THE THINGS THERE. JUST BRING YOUR, YOUR COMPETITION PIECE. OKAY? ANYTHING ELSE GOING ON AT THE CENTER? YEAH. SO THIS WEEKEND WE HAVE A REALLY SPECIAL EVENT. WE HAVE A VISITOR FROM ASU, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY. THEY BROUGHT THEIR DREAMSCAPE LUCERNE EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS AN EDUCATIONAL VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE THAT THEY DEVELOPED TO USE IN THEIR ACTUAL COLLEGE PROGRAMING. SO IT WILL BE HERE THROUGH TOMORROW. WE HAVE AN EVENT THIS EVENING CALLED NIGHTS AT THE MUSEUM FROM 6 TO 9 P.M., WHICH YOU’LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE DREAMSCAPE AT THAT ONE. AND THEN TOMORROW IS PI DAY 314. SO WE’LL HAVE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES AND THINGS GOING ON, AND YOU’LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE DREAMSCAPE THERE AS WELL. GREAT. CHRIS, I BET YOU IF I ASK YOU THE WHOLE ENTIRE NUMBER OF PI, YOU CAN PROBABLY GIVE ME LIKE 10 TO 15 DIGITS. I CAN GIVE YOU UP TO FIVE. THAT’S ABOUT AS FAR AS I GO. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANKS SO MUCH FOR STOPPING BY AND TELLING US ABOUT THIS GREAT EVENT. IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION OR TO WATCH THIS INTERVIEW AGAIN, HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE WPBF.COM. YOU’LL ALSO FIND A LINK THERE TO THE SCIENCE CENTER. YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR THAT EVENT
Engineer it Competition back at Cox Science Center and Aquarium
The Cox Science Center and Aquarium is once again holding its ‘Engineer it Competition.’Stay up to date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25The center’s director of education, Chris Pait, stopped by our studio to talk more about the competition. WPBF 25 News is a proud partner of the Cox Science Center and Aquarium. For more information, click here.Get the latest weather updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
The Cox Science Center and Aquarium is once again holding its ‘Engineer it Competition.’
Stay up to date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
The center’s director of education, Chris Pait, stopped by our studio to talk more about the competition.
WPBF 25 News is a proud partner of the Cox Science Center and Aquarium. For more information, click here.
Get the latest weather updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.