The newly named Tickle College of Engineering will welcome more than 1,500 high school students from across Tennessee to campus on Thursday for the college’s annual Engineers Day.

The annual daylong celebration of engineering will feature events at various engineering locations on the Hill and in Thompson-Boling Arena.

Engineering classes will be dismissed for the day so UT faculty, staff, and students can interact with the visitors and give demonstrations.

“This is a great way for us to share with prospective students what engineering is about, both in general and more specifically here at UT,” said Wayne Davis, dean of the college. “Giving them the hands-on experience with current students and faculty members is a far more personal touch than anything that they could find online, so it really brings all the possibilities home to them.”

Dave Wilson, vice president of product marketing for software, academics, and customer education at National Instruments, will be this year’s keynote speaker.

The college has held Engineers Day each October for more than a hundred years. The event includes building competitions, design challenges, and an egg drop. The day culminates with a quiz bowl.

Nearly 30 groups will take part in the event.

“The goal is to have everyone get involved and interact with our visitors as much as possible,” said A. J. Toth, a senior majoring in electrical engineering who is helping plan the event. “Our student groups and our student ambassadors are really helpful in letting us pull that off.”

UT is even sending a convoy of buses to Memphis and West Tennessee to bolster attendance by students from that part of the state.

To accommodate the event, Middle Drive will be closed in front of Perkins Hall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Contact

David Goddard (865-974-0683, david.goddard@utk.edu)