Project Lead the Way Conference (PLTW) 2010

October 1st, 2010

The Purdue University College of Technology at South Bend hosted the 2nd annual PLTW Conference for 100 high school students from the South Bend, Mishawaka, and Elkhart area.

The conference offered a day of hands-on activities designed by South Bend Statewide faculty: an Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology (ECET) project, a Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) project, an Industrial Technology (IT) project, a career planning session, and a campus tour.

Electric go-kart
Electric Go-kart from 2010 Race

 

 

 

 

The theme of this year's conference was electric vehicle technology. The first stop on the campus tour was a close-up look at an electric go-kart that competed in the inaugural EV Grand Prix on the West Lafayette campus. The second stop was the fully-electric cargo van brought by Navistar, shown below with the conference presenters: Sarah Leach (MET), Michael Sanders (location director), Gene Harding (ECET), and Chad Laux (IT).

 

 

 

 

Presenters in front of electric van
Conference Presenters Sarah Leach (MET), Michael Sanders (director), Gene Harding (ECET), and Chad Laux (IT). The Navistar electric van is in the background.

 

The goals for the conference were:

  • Engage the kids in some fun and interesting activities to spur their interest in technology
  • Motivate better high school study by linking the technical activities to math and science
  • Inform them of degree options available locally and expose them to each discipline (ECET, MET, IT, EngrTech)
  • Introduce them to the environment of a university campus
  • Help them match their interests and skills with appropriate careers

Associate Professor Gene Harding led the ECET project, which was an efficiency comparison between two technologies for controlling power delivered to electric motors.

Professor Harding Leading ECET Session
Professor Harding Leading ECET Session

Four ECET students assisted with the session: Heather Bates, Dan Cole, Michael Stock, and Isaac Rios. Dan Cole developed the project, which is described in detail here.

ECET Session Staff
ECET Session Professor and Students

 

In the MET project session, Associate Professor Sarah Leach led students in an investigation of the material properties of structural components used in electric vehicles. She is shown below demonstrating how to measure the elastic deformation of a metal strip before using the measurement technique to compare the wind resistance of several styles of car bodies.

Professor Leach Leading MET Session
Professor Leach Leading ECET Session

 

Associate Professor Chad Laux came up from the main campus to deliver the IT session, which applied "lean" techniques to a production scenario.

Professor Laux Leads IT Session
Professor Laux Leading IT Session

 

In addition to the hands-on lab activities in ECET, MET, and IT, a careers presentation was added at the request of the PLTW high school teachers. Director Michael Sanders led a discussion of the career opportunities and earning potential of our graduates.

Director Sanders Leading Careers Session
Director Sanders Leading Careers Session

 

The 2010 PLTW Conference was covered by four local news crews, including print coverage by the South Bend Tribune and video coverage on the evening news by local NBC affiliate WNDU, Fox 28, and ABC 57.

Professor Harding being Interviewed by Local TV Crew
Professor Harding being Interviewed by Local TV Crew

 

 

Information about the fall 2011 conference can be found by clicking here.

 

Sign-ups for the 2012 conference have not yet begun.  For more information about how to attend a future Project Lead the Way conference at Purdue-South Bend contact Professor Gene Harding at glhardin@purdue.edu or Mr. Michael Sanders at mdsanders@purdue.edu. 

 

Audiences