05/23/09: B.E.A.M. Trek “Beams Up” Young WNY Engineers

Original YNN Buffalo Air Date: 05/23/09
It’s not a trekkie convention, but the 2009 Buffalo Area Engineering Awareness for Minorities or “B.E.A.M. Trek” that has young engineering enthusiasts excited about science.
More than 70 students competed to become Buffalo’s best engineering team of the future. Every year the B.E.A.M program helps students dare to go where no man has gone before. This year they are using a Star Trek theme to keep kids interested in engineering.
“It’s really important that we start at a young age teaching kids the importance of engineering beam starts at 7th grade and goes all the way up through high school,” said B.E.A.M. coordinator Tyra Johnson.
Students used legos and construction kits to build structures that could withstand the “Planet Quake” earthquake simulator. It was one of several activities to help students design and test possible landing platforms for none other than a mini star ship enterprise.
“They learn a little about design and how to build something that it will withstand the motions of a seismic event,” said UB Civil Engineering Department’s Tom Albrechcinski.
“Our structure was so great because we tried to use a lot of triangles knowing that’s where strength comes from,” Nichols School student Siobhan Hanley.