E-week is much more than a week-long event each February. Founded by NSPE in 1951, Engineers Week is a commitment to making a difference by engaging students in engineering, advocating for the need for engineers, technicians and technologists, and celebrating how engineers make a difference in our world.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Greeting from MSPE President Weijun Li, PE
Message from NSPE President Bill Atkinson, PE
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Initiative
Federal Engineer of the Year Award Ceremony (FEBRUARY 23)
Test Your Wits with MATHCOUNTS (MARCH 1 Deadline)
Scholarship Opportunities (APRIL 1 Deadline)
Team Massachusetts placed third out of 56 teams at the National MATHCOUNTS Competition from May 13-15 in Orlando, Florida – adding to a proud history of Top 10 national-level finishesfor MA.
Each student “mathlete” also placed individually in the top 25% of the 224 best mathletes from across the U.S. who advanced to nationals after 90,000 students competed in their local and state contests.
The four students who represented Team Massachusetts are Nikhil Byrapuram (grade 8) from The Pike School in Andover; Christopher Cheng and Adam Ge (both grade 8); and Selena Ge (grade 7) from the Jonas Clarke Middle School in Lexington.
The team was accompanied by Coach Josh Frost of Jonas Clarke Middle School in Lexington and MSPE Director John J. Hayden, PE, State MATHOUNTS Coordinator and Senior Transportation Engineer at Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.
Chapter Competitions begin Saturday, February 1 2020; the first of 7 contests in Feb at middle schools throughout MA, leading up to the State Competition on March 7.
OPPORTUNITY to VOLUNTEER just 3 to 4 hours of your time
at one (or more) of 8 competitions
Nearly 100 volunteers are needed to support 7 Chapter Competitions in February at middle schools throughout the state, as well as the State Competition in March.
No experience is necessary; you must simply be over 21 and not related to a competing student. The commitment is just 3-4 hours, serving as a proctor or scorer.
CLICK HEREfor full details, including the competition schedule. Please email the Chapter Coordinator of any competition for which you can volunteer.
More than 900 Student Mathletes will soon compete against their peers in chapter and state competitions, to determine which team & individuals will represent our state at the National MATHCOUNTS Competition in May. Here’s how YOU can be part of the success on their journey to represent our state in the National Match-up:
David Desrosiers, PE is a DPW Director for the Town of Granby, MA. An MSPE member since 1981, David also volunteers as the Connecticut Valley Chapter Coordinator for MSPE’S key outreach program, MATHCOUNTS. (mspe.com/mathcounts) David has answered the questions below so we may know him better. Thank you, David, for your long-time Society membership and your generous support of MATHCOUNTS.
Q: Why did you join MSPE? A: I was encouraged to join NSPE shortly after I began my first job working as an engineer in Florida. My boss and the firm supported and encouraged participation and networking in many professional organizations. Keep in mind this was before the Internet, at a time when networking was done face to face. The parent organization NSPE provided networking opportunities and many beneficial programs such as continuing education. After moving back to Massachusetts, I saw the value of maintaining these connections and continued membership in NSPE.
During the 2015-16 school year, more than 1,000 students in 120 middle schools across the state will experience Massachusetts MATHCOUNTS, a unique math enrichment program that uplifts students in 6-8 grade who love math OR fear math. MATHCOUNTS engages their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, prepares them for math in high school and college, and encourages them to select and succeed in careers that fulfill our nation’s demand for excellence in the fields of Science, Engineering, Technology, and Math.
MSPE Member Larry Decker, PE and his wife Ruth have served for 23 years as Coordinators for the MetroWest Chapter of MATHCOUNTS, the national math enrichment, coaching and competition program for middle school students in grades 6-8, sponsored locally by the Massachusetts Society of Professional Engineers. This is the Deckers’ final year as official coordinators, and they are excited that the 2015 National MATHCOUNTS Competition on May 8 will be held in Boston for the first time in the program’s 32-year history.
Ruth and Larry Decker, Volunteer Coordinators of the Metrowest Chapter of MATHCOUNTS, are surrounded by coaches from the 26 schools in the chapter. The coaches presented them with a certificate in recognition and celebration of their dedication to the students and the program.
Our state’s MATHCOUNTS Champions and their coach at practice on May 2. On May 7 they leave for the National Competition in Orlando, FL, to defend the MA National Title. From left: Jeffrey Chang, Jeremy Chen, Peter Rowley, and Coach Josh Frost. Missing: David Ma.
At their last practice before National Competition, the Massachusetts 2014 State-Champion Mathletes each received a personalized card from State Secretary of Education Matthew Malone, who congratulated and wished them well at the National MATHCOUNTS Competition.
On Wednesday, May 7 the students and their parents will travel to the 2014 National MATHCOUNTS Competition in Orlando, Florida, where our Mathletes will seek to defend our state’s first-in-the-nation status for the third year in a row. They will compete against 220 of the nation’s best Mathletes.
On Thursday, May 9 the students will perform practice drills in preparation for Friday’s intense rounds of written competition. On Friday morning, they will compete in the Sprint, Target, and Team Rounds, totaling approximately 3 hours. On Friday afternoon, the top 12 individuals who scored the highest that morning will proceed to the Countdown Round, an oral competition in which students compete head-to-head, to determine the individual champion. (In 2013, Massachusetts won first place in both the Team AND Individual competitions.)
View the Competition LIVE via webcast on Friday, May 9 at 2:00 p.m.
On May 9th at 2:00 p.m., the 2014 National MATHCOUNTS Competition will be webcast LIVE on ESPN3, for viewers to watch and play along with the nation’s top middle school Mathletes. Click here to be taken to the webcast site. (more…)
MSPE is pleased to recognize these contributors for their significant sponsorship of the MATHCOUNTS program in Massachusetts:
Photo 1:John Hayden, PE (LEFT) accepts a MATHCOUNTS donation from CB&I, presented by William Griffith, Senior Vice President of CB&I, as MSPE Board member Ken Skinger, PE, Esq. looks on.
Photo 2:Ken Skinger, PE, Esq. (RIGHT) presents John Hayden, PE with a MATHCOUNTS donation contributed by Charles Stockbridge, Senior Vice President of Moors & Cabot.
MSPE invited the Metro Chapter MATHCOUNTS Competition winning team from Clarke Middle School in Lexington as guests to the Engineers Week Luncheon.
The excitement is building for our state’s MATHLETES! In February, MATHCOUNTS chapter competitions whittled down the field of competitors that advanced to the State Competition in March. 776 student competitors, representing 106 middle schools throughout MA, were reduced to a total of 125 students who competed on March 8 at Wentworth Institute of Technology.
The State Competition winners: Peter Rowley, Grade 9 – William Diamond Middle School – Lexington Jeremy Chen, Grade 8 – The Sage School – Foxboro David Ma, Grade 8 – The Roxbury Latin School – Roxbury Jeffery Chang, Grade 7 – Jonas Clarke Middle School – Lexington
These students are now preparing to defend our state’s National Championship title, before they travel to the 2014 MATHCOUNTS National Competition in Orlando, Florida from May 8-11.
At the State Competition, 125 Massachusetts Students formed a Human PI. (Click image to view Forbes Article)
MSPE thanks these members who have donated their valuable time to support MATHCOUNTS:
John Hayden, PE – Volunteer State Coordinator Graham Carr, PE – Volunteer Runner & Scorer-State Competition Anthony Cippola – Volunteer Runner & Scorer-State Competition David Desrosiers, PE – Volunteer Coordinator for CT Valley Chapter Tom Vaughan, PE – Scorer, Southeast Competition