AIChE National Capital Section News for March 2004 -------------------------------------------------- In this issue: 1) March Meeting meeting - Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center 2) AIChE & Engineers' Week 2004 1) Subject: March meeting - Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Contributed by: Bruce Cranford, Director, National Capital Section AIChE Sunday, March 28, 2004 Tour Starts at 2 pm The AIChE National Capital Section has arranged for NCS members and families a tour of the new Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center on Sunday, March 28, 2004, time 2 PM. Located on the grounds of the Washington Dulles International Airport, the Udvar-Hazy Center provides much needed space for the objects that tell the history of aviation and space flight. The Museum currently has over 115 aircraft and dozens of space artifacts on display including the Space Shuttle Enterprise; an SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft; the Dash 80 prototype of the Boeing 707; the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay; and the de Havilland Chipmunk aerobatic plane, to name a few. The Space Shuttle will soon undergo restoration inside the Space Hangar where it now resides. The highlights tour will cover over 30 of the most significant artifacts, including those mentioned, and will last about 1 to 2 hours. The museum and tours are free, parking is $12.00 per car/van. The rendezvous point will be at the welcome desk on the right as you enter the building, and ask for the AIChE tour. Also available are the IMAX Theaters, Observation Tower, and flight simulators. It is recommended that you arrive early if you plan to see the IMAX or observation tower. The museum hours are 10 AM to 5:30 PM. The Museum is located off of Va RT 28, between the Dulles Toll Road and Va RT 50. Follow the signs. Do NOT go to Dulles AP. Visit the web sites for directions, and floor plan showing the exhibits. http://www.nasm.si.edu/museum/udvarhazy/ , and, http://www.nasm.si.edu/visit/uhcmap.cfm Reservations must be made by March 20, 2004. To make reservations for the tour, contact Erica Hansen, EHansen@Anteon.com, with your name, e-mail address, and number in your party. 2) Subject: AIChE & Engineers' Week 2004 Contributed by: Bruce Cranford, Director, National Capital Section AIChE AIChE cosponsored Engineers' Week (http://www.eweek.org) Future City Competition (http://www.futurecity.org). This is the 12th year of the Future City Competition, which fosters interest in math, science, and engineering for seventh and eight-grade students using hands-on, real world applications to create and build a Future City. Regional competitions were held throughout the US, culminating in 33 first place regional winning teams coming to Washington, D.C. for the national competition during Engineers' Week, February 21, 2004, though Wednesday, February 28, 2004. This is the third year AIChE sponsored the special award for the Best Use of Bio-technology/materials/process in a Future City. This year the National Capital Section (NCS) funded the awards. AIChE NCS evaluated the 33 regional winners in a rigorous and exhausting competition on February 23 in Washington, D.C. The winner was the Marquette Catholic School in Yakima, Washington, from the Washington State regional competition. The name of the Future City was RC Project. The three students, David Funk, Frank Sziebert and Seam Perrault, along with their teacher sponsor Gregg Pleger and engineer mentor Dale Funk, received their awards for Best Use of Bio-technology/materials/process at the Special Awards Luncheon, February 25, 2004, at the Hyatt Regency Capital Hill, Washington, D.C. - for a photograph, please see http://www.ench.umd.edu/NatCapAIChE/Newsletter/images/FutureCityWinner2004.jpg The award consisted of a plaque and savings bond for each student presented by the NCS Chapter President Kin Wong. The plaque reads 'National Engineers Week Future City Competition, National Final, Celebrating 12 Years, February 25, 2004, Washington, D.C., Best Use of Bio Technology/Materials/Processes in the Future City, presented by American Institute of Chemical Engineers.' The judges developed the evaluation criteria, and interviewed each of the 33 teams in a three-hour marathon session on February 23, 2004. That equates to about 5-minute per interview and evaluation for each team. At the end of the session, both the judges and teams were exhausted. AIChE wishes to thank the National Capital Section and the two volunteer judges, John Pohl and Bruce Cranford, P.E., AIChE National Representative to National Engineers Week Steering Committee, 301-340-0052, Bruce-Cranford-PE@attglobal.net, for their efforts.