Gov Rell Announces ‘Real World Design Challenge’

Governor M. Jodi Rell has announced that Connecticut will join nine other states in a new education initiative that gives Connecticut students and teachers free access to the world’s most powerful design and mechanical engineering software to solve a “real world” aviation design challenge.

 The “Real World Design Challenge” is sponsored by the US Department of Energy in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration, Parametric Technology Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Corporation, Mentor Graphics – Mechanical Analysis Division, Education Development Center, and others.

 “The Real World Design Challenge offers an unprecedented experience for Connecticut high school students,” Gov Rell said. “Through the generous provision of valuable engineering software and training, students and teachers will learn how these state-of-the-art tools can be used to advance innovation and invention right here in Connecticut.”

 Students and teachers will be given a “real world” challenge to solve through innovative design. In this case, aviation industry engineers already have defined an issue that is currently being addressed by the aviation industry.

 The goals are to increase student achievement and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and to highlight the economic importance of having the world’s most skilled and innovative workforce in these fields. Participation in the state phase of the Real World Challenge is open to any school. Teachers supporting the student teams will have access to technical training and nearly $1 million in state-of-the-art engineering software.

The Connecticut Career Choices Program (CCC), supported through the Office for Workforce Competitiveness and managed at Education Connection, will coordinate the Real World Challenge. The National Center for Aerospace Leadership (NCAL) at the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology will provide technical support and guidance.

“Connecticut is extremely fortunate to have programs available to students like Connecticut Career Choices and to have a national center of excellence in aeronautics in NCAL,” Gov Rell said. “Having them work together as part of the Real World Challenge is an extraordinary opportunity for our high school students interested in engineering careers.”

 Participating schools will be considered to represent Connecticut in a national competition hosted in Washington, D.C.

 Additional information about the Real World Design Challenge can be found on the US Department of Energy’s Real World Design Challenge website, SciEd.science.doe.gov/RWDC/index.html.