Wichita Branch Update

Dear ASCE members,

I hope this message finds you all staying safe and healthy through this ongoing pandemic we call COVID-19. As we continue with this year, we will continue to follow all CDC and state/county/city guidelines in trying to minimize the spread of the coronavirus and will keep suspending all in person meetings until further notice. We would like to host our monthly meetings starting in February and are currently looking for anyone who may be interested in taking up a speaker spot with an interesting topic. If you are interested in presenting, please let one of the board members know and we will work on getting you scheduled.

The board has decided this year that ASCE will be offering the STEM grant to local area schools again based on applications submitted for a total of $1,000. The board is in the process of revising the applications and they will be available soon on the ASCE Wichita Branch website. The STEM application offers an option for pre-selected STEM Kits or a selected amount of grant money towards a STEM project specified by the teacher. One adjustment to this year’s application, knowing the situation at hand with COVID, we are opening up the availability to use the STEM grant money for online subscriptions to STEM workshops or activities to accommodate hybrid or stay at home learning.

Lastly, Derek Kratzer from Kansas State University was the recipient of the Spenser Delamater Scholarship this year. Derek will be invited to our next in person monthly meeting to receive his plaque and recognition.

Engineering Demonstrations at the Advanced Learning Library

The Wichita Branch of ASCE is partnering with Wichita's Advanced Learning Library to host hands-on engineering demonstrations for local youth on the first Saturday of each month during the school year from 10:30 to 11:30. Past-President Daniel Schrant organized our first session on September 1, 2018, and we are now in our second year of these come-and-go demonstrations.The last one was held on March 7. The Society fo Women Engineers (SWE) coordinated a hands-on activity invoilving tensile bubbles.

Due to the current social distancing restrictions, the next hands-on engineering event is not currently scheduled. WE hope to have this event back once it is safe to do so. In the meantime, please contact Daniel Schrant at (316) 660-1778 if you are interested in volunteering about two hours of your time or know of a demonstration we can include in this series once it restarts