Resources listed under this category are primarily aimed at college students and/or college engineering programs/faculty.

College students will find the following categories of particular interest:

National Competitions for College Teams/Students – Test your skills nationally and gain recognition for your school!

Mentoring Programs – Providing valuable advice to students!

Interpersonal Skills Programs – Get “real-world” training!

Professional Practice Preparation – More “real-world” training!

Public Policy Programs – For those interested in making a different type of impact!

Internships/Careers/Jobs – Valuable “real-world” info!

Leading Engineering Design Firms (opens a new window) – A “who’s-who” of employers!

Engineering Societies (Overarching, Discipline/Field-Specific, and Minority/Women-Focused) (opens a new window) – Helping you in the “real-world”!

For college faculty and staff, in addition to the above, the following categories will also be of particular interest:

Dedicated Engineering Education Organizations – ASEE is the one!

Information Clearinghouses – Resources, resources, and more resources!

Service/Service-Learning Programs/Resources – Catch the growing “service wave”!

Ethics Resources/Orgs – Helping with critically important lessons for your students!

Engineering/Technology and Society -  Thinking about the bigger picture!

College Design Contests/Programs – Potential ideas for your school!

Finally, also provided for general reference are the following:

Academic Honor Societies/National Awards - Honoring outstanding engineering students

College/University Programs – DedicatedEngineers maintains a trio of websites to inform students of accredited programs available nationally not only in engineering, but also engineering technology and computer science as well!

 Miscellaneous – Studying Engineering, The Order of the Engineer, NerdGirls, Progressive Engineer magazine, and more!

National Competitions for College Students:

1/4-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition: Collegiate team competition to design, build and performance-test a specified stock engine in a multi-stage tractor pull.  Run by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers.

Academic Olympiad: Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers-sponsored competition where collegiate teams from SHPE Student Chapters compete in a quiz bowl with questions addressing engineering, science, and math, along with SHPE history/information and Latino history/culture. Regional competition winners compete for the national title at SHPE's National Technical and Career Conference (NTCC).

Academic Technical Bowl: National Society of Black Engineers-sponsored competition where collegiate teams from NSPE Student Chapters compete in a Jeopardy-style quiz bowl with questions addressing engineering and science curricula from the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE/EIT) Examination, along with NSBE and African American Scientists and Inventors history. Regional competition winners compete for the national title at NSPE's National Convention.

AIChE National Student Design Competitions: American Institute of Chemical Engineers-run annual national design competitions run through the society's student chapters. Four competitions are held - two involve a real-world chemical engineering design situation (with separate competitions held for both individuals and teams, while the other two competitions focus on "designing for safety."

ASAE/AGCO National Student Design Competition: American Society of Agricultural Engineers-run team design competition. Teams select their own design projects which must be useful to agriculture or related areas. Sponsored by AGCO, an agricultural equipment manufacturer.

American Solar Challenge: A US Dept of Energy-sponsored design/build competition where college-based teams race across the country in solar-powered cars; held annually in July.

ASHRAE Student Design Competition: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers-sponsored annual competition where student teams can compete in any or all of three design categories for a specified project: 1) Architectural Design, 2) HVAC System Selection, and 3 ) HVAC System Design (detailed design of one selected system).

ASME Student Design Competition: American Society of Mechanical Engineering-run annual competition where teams design, construct and operate a prototype meeting the requirements of a given problem statement.

ASME Student Manufacturing Design Competition: American Society of Mechanical Engineering-run annual competition where entrants (individuals or teams) submit manufacturing-related designs of their own choosing. Construction of actual working models are highly encouraged.

ASME Student Mechanism Design Competition: American Society of Mechanical Engineering-run competition where entrants design and build prototypes of a "mechanism" of their own choosing. The competition is divided into undergraduate and graduate divisions.

ASME Safety Engineering Design Contest: American Society of Mechanical Engineering-run competition where entrants submit paper designs of their own choosing for safety-related projects. Recent entries included design studies related to the fishing, agriculture, mining and chemical industries.

ChemE-Car Competition: An American Institute of Chemical Engineers-based collegiate team competition where teams design/build/test a chemically powered vehicle designed to carry a specified cargo a specific distance.

Collegiate Design Series:  6 different design/build/test competitions for collegiate teams, namely: 1) Aero Design (radio controlled aircraft that can take off and land while carrying the maximum cargo), 2) Clean Snowmobile Challenge (reducing emissions and noise cost-effectively); 3) Formula Series (formula-style race cars); 4) Mini Baja (off-road vehicles in harsh environments); 5) Supermilage (single-person, fuel-efficient vehicles); 6) Walking Robot Challenge (walking machines with self-contained power sources). All sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

Collegiate Inventors Competition: International competition recognizing and rewarding innovations, discoveries and research by college/university students and their faculty advisors. Open to both individuals and teams, with separate competitions held for undergraduate and graduate students. Substantial cash prices awarded to the chosen winners. A program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame; sponsored by Hewlett-Packard and the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Energy Challenge: College-based teams address energy/environmental aspects in designing/building a wood-based product (e.g., kayak, sailboard, hand glider).  Sponsored by the US Dept of Energy and the Institute of Paper Science and Technology.

Future Truck Competition: College teams reengineer Ford Explorers to achieve lower-emissions and higher fuel economy without reducing the vehicle’s performance, utility, safety, and affordability. Principally sponsored by the Ford Motor Corporation and the US Dept of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Managed by Argonne National Laboratory's Center for Transportation Research.

Glider Flight Competition: National Society of Black Engineers-run competition where collegiate teams design, build, and launch gliders using a specified set of materials. Sponsored by Boeing.

Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) Competition: American Society of Mechanical Engineering-run annual competition where teams design, build and race human-powered vehicles in three separate classes - single rider, tandem, and utility. Separate finals are held on the East and West Coasts.

Hydro Power Contest: National competition to create a device that uses water to create mechanical power. The device that lifts a weight through a fixed distance in the shortest period of time (Power Class) or using the least amount of water (Efficiency Class) wins. Three competition divisions exist – Student, Pro (consisting of past winners), and Open (all others). Both individuals and teams can enter. Sponsored by several entities, including the US Dept of Energy.

IEEE Undergraduate Student Design Competition in Medicine and Biology: Competition involving designing and building an original device or product not currently offered on the market addressing a problem in medicine and/or biology. Other acceptable designs include a modification of an existing product, and may consist of hardware, software, or a combination of both.

International Bridge Building Contest: Competition to design, build and test the most efficient model bridge. Coordinated through the Illinois Institute of Technology.

International Future Energy Challenge: International competition focused on innovation, conservation, and effective use of electrical energy, open to college student teams from recognized engineering programs worldwide. Participation is on a proposal basis, with teams addressing a specific, pre-selected topic area. Substantial prize money is awarded for work that meets aggressive pre-set targets for engineering design innovation. Sponsors include IEEE and the U.S. Dept of Energy.

International Student Offshore Design Competition: Team competition to design an offshore structure/system. Undergraduate design course projects are the primary focus of the competition, but thesis and independent study projects are also eligible. Sponsored by SNAME, also with pertinent divisions of ASME and ASCE.

P3 Competition: A US Environmental Protection Agency-sponsored design competition providing grants to teams of college students to research, develop, and design sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. Initially teams compete for $10,000 P3 grants. Recipients use the money to research and develop their projects during the academic year, then traveling to Washington, DC to compete for the P3 Award, which conveys additional funding for further design, development and implementation.

Rube Goldberg Machine Contests: National contests bringing the ideas of artist Rube Goldberg's "Invention" cartoons to life.  Groups are given an elementary challenge “(for example, putting toothpaste on a toothbrush), but instead of just "solving" the problem, students have to make the solution as complicated and as convoluted as possible. The National College Competition is held at Purdue University while the National High School Competition is hosted by the Milwaukee Colleges of Engineering Partnership.

Software Simulation Competition: Institute of Industrial Engineers-run annual competition where undergraduate student teams are given a real-world situational case study to solve using a simulation software package provided by the contest's sponsor, Rockwell Software.

Solar BikeRayce USA: Annual closed-course races of bikes powered either partially or entirely by solar power (and with or without pedals). Races conducted in three categories (High School; Adult; Senior) and four classes of bikes. Held in May in Topeka, Kansas.

Solar Decathlon: International college-based student competition to design, build and operate the most attractive and effective solar-powered house. The overall competition is divided into 10 separate contests (7 focused on energy; 3 on other criteria) that combine to yield an overall winner. Coordinated through the US Dept of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Solar Splash: Billed as "the World Championship of Solar/Electric boating," it is an international collegiate competition (also open to high schools teams) where constructed boats compete in five on-the-water events. Sponsors include the ASME and the IEEE.

Subject Matter Expert (SME) Bowl: Society of Women Engineers-sponsored competition where collegiate teams from each of SWE's 10 Regions compete in a quiz bowl with questions addressing engineering, science, math, and technology, along with SWE history, policies, and procedures.

Super Light-Weight Composite Bridge Building Contest: Annual collegiate competition to build a specified bridge using specified materials that are then subject to a load test. The contest is divided into professional and student classes. Run by the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering.

Team Tech Competition: A Society of Women Engineers-sponsored competition where collegiate teams of SWE members work with a solicited industry partner on a project of mutual interest, with regional winners competing for national awards at SWE's National Conference.

Water Environment Federation (WEF) Student Design Competition: Team competition to complete a design project addressing to the "water environment" (water/wastewater engineering). The teams themselves decide the design project that they undertake. Both undergrad and grad students can participate.

WESTEC Manufacturing Challenge: An open-ended team competition run by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Students choose their own project and then design and build their project for display and evaluation at WESTEC - an annual metalworking and manufacturing exposition. Any type of engineering principle and/or concept can be applied - manual or automated manufacturing processes, robots, vision systems, computers, programmable controllers, material handling systems, etc.
 

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Mentoring Programs:

MentorNet: A non-profit program focused on establishing one-on-one, email-based mentoring relationships, pairing women students in science and engineering with mentors from industry and academia. Also provides other resources aimed at helping women (both students and professionals) in science and engineering.

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Interpersonal Skills Programs:

Engineering Futures Program: A Tau Beta Pi program established to provide interpersonal skills to engineering students via on-campus sessions conducted by alumnus Tau Bates trained as Facilitators. Sessions are offered in: People Skills, Team Chartering, Analytical Problem Solving, and Group Process.

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Professional Practice Preparation:

Professional Practice Curriculum (PPC): An on-line program of study (provided free of charge) for engineering students and early career engineers designed to supplement the formal college/university engineering curriculum in helping them be better prepared for entry into, and early advancement in, the engineering profession. 20 separate modules provided. Put forth by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

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Public Policy Programs:

Washington Internships for Students In Engineering: A program offering 10-week summer public policy internships in Washington, DC for up to 16 engineering students (juniors, seniors, or beginning master-level students). All interns are sponsored by the National Science Foundation in partnership with one of several major engineering societies that participate in the program. Interns receive free housing at George Washington University, along with a $2100 living/travel stipend.

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Internships/Careers/Jobs:

Graduating Engineer and Computer Careers Online: Career and information center for young engineering and computer science majors starting their careers. Designed to complement the monthly print publication, Graduating Engineer and Computer Careers magazine, distributed to engineering colleges nationwide.

Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellows Program: Selected college students (seniors or graduate students in science, math, or engineering) work for 10 weeks during the summer as reporters, researchers, and production assistants in mass media organizations nationwide. 20-30 Fellows are selected annually and provided with a weekly stipend, along with reimbursement of travel expenses. Run by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Occupational Outlook Handbook: A nationally recognized source of career information issued every two years by the US Dept of Labor. The Handbook describes what workers do on the job, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings, and expected job prospects in a wide range of occupations, including Engineering and 14 identified engineering disciplines. [Note: Informative, but as a government publication, it is rather dryly written.]

Sloan Career Cornerstone Center: Website serving as a resource center for those interested in or actively pursuing careers in engineering, mathematics, information technology, and the physical sciences.  Offers education, networking, job-hunting, and career planning resources aimed at both high school and college students, along with parents, teachers and guidance counselors. It is a web-based version of the Sloan Career Cornerstone Series, a popular set of CD-ROMs and videotapes that revolve around personal interviews with over 400 individuals offering candid insight into their career paths. Put forth by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Tech-Interns.com: An online database of undergraduate and graduate science and engineering internships. The website is put forth by the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE).

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Leading Engineering Design Firms (opens a new window)

Engineering Societies (Overarching, Discipline/Field-Specific, and Minority/Women-Focused) (opens a new window)

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Dedicated Engineering Education Organizations:

American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE): THE professional society for engineering educators, its membership includes about 10,000 individuals and over 350 academic institutions offering engineering or engineering technology programs in the US and Canada. A member-driven organization, ASEE maintains some 43 Divisions, mostly discipline-specific, plus: College-Industry Partnerships; Co-Op Education; Design in Engineering Education; Engineering Libraries; Engineering Technology; Entrepreneurship; Freshmen Programs; Liberal Education; Minorities In Engineering; 2-Yr Colleges; Women In Engineering)

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Information Clearinghouses:

Women In Engineering Organization (WIEO) Website: An Internet-based clearinghouse designed to act as a unifying resource about women in engineering and associated programs nationwide. Targets audiences from young girls through working professionals, as well as K-12 teachers, guidance counselors and college faculty. Put forth in partnership by Tufts University, Women in Engineering Programs and Advocates Network (WEPAN), and the Society of Women Engineers.

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Service/Service-Learning Programs/Resources:

Campus Compact: An organization that promotes community service, encourages partnerships between campuses and communities, and assists faculty who seek to integrate public and community engagement into their teaching and research. Membership includes 900 public and private two- and four-year colleges and universities located in 46 states. The website serves as an information clearinghouse.

Campus Ecology Program: National Wildlife Federation program providing resources and technical assistance aimed at assisting with the design and implementation of practical conservation projects on college campuses and in surrounding communities. Both entire campuses and individuals can formally enroll with the program, with about 100 campuses currently enrolled.

Case Engineering Service Group: College student service-learning program that designs, manufactures, and then donates custom-made devices for people with disabilities, as well as devices used in the rehabilitation of people with disabilities. About 120 students participate on 50 projects annually. Operated out of Case Western Reserve’s College of Engineering.

Community College National Center for Community Engagement: Promotes service-learning at community colleges. Part of Campus Contact (see above). The website serves as an information clearinghouse.

Engineering for Impact: A networking tool for students and practicing engineers interested in tackling socially-motivated projects. Provides contact information for organizations and individuals engaged in such projects (“field contacts”), along with contact information for individuals interested in such work (“peer contacts”). Put forth by the Haas Center for Public Service at Stanford University.

Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS): Purdue Univ-based community service-learning program focusing on engineering projects in local communities. The associated National EPICS Program seeks to disseminate the EPICS model to colleges nationwide; the current network consists of 10 colleges.

Engineers for a Sustainable World: A nonprofit organization with a network of more than 1000 professionals and students working to reduce poverty and improve global sustainability.

Engineers in Technical and Humanitarian Opportunities of Service (ETHOS): A non-profit seeking to create and then disseminate the best available and appropriate technology to families in need in Central/South America via a collaborative partnership between engineering faculty, students, and researchers and "on-the-ground" NGOs. The current focus of the org is on the development of “eco-efficient” wood-burning cookstoves.

Engineers Without Borders USA: Non-profit org that involves college engineering students in design/construction projects in developing countries, working under the supervision of faculty and professional engineers from partnering engineering firms. Projects involve water, wastewater, sanitation, energy, and shelter systems and are initiated by, and completed with, contributions from the host community, which is trained to operate the systems without external assistance.

Habitat for Humanity International: Well-known nonprofit that uses volunteers to help build affordable houses for qualifying low-income families both in the US and internationally. Local Habitat affiliates coordinate house building and select partner families. Through its Campus Chapters and Youth Programs (CCYP) department, cultivates both high school and college campus chapters internationally and also runs a Collegiate Challenge whereby students participate in house building as an “alternative Spring Break” activity.

National Service-Learning Clearinghouse: An Internet-based national clearinghouse for service-learning information, resources, and tools. Considers higher education, K-12, and community-based service-learning. The website provides a variety of resources and tools, along with an online library.

Rebuilding Together: Nonprofit that uses volunteers to help rehabilitate America’s low-income homes and revitalize communities. Has over 250 affiliates nationwide. Works year-round, but also organizes an annual National Rebuilding Day every April.

Tau Beta Pi – Chapter Service Projects: A compilation of service projects undertaken by local student chapters of Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society.

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Ethics Resources/Orgs:

Engineering Ethics in Undergraduate Courses: A Texas A&M-based website providing case studies and other resources for use in undergraduate engineering courses.

Ethics Resources and References: A variety of resources put forth by the National Society of Professional Engineers. Of particular interest would be the 29-page document Selected References & Resources on Engineering Ethics & Professional Practice for Practicing Engineers, Engineering Educators & Engineering Students.

National Institute for Engineering Ethics / Murdough Center for Engineering Professionalism: A Texas Tech-based center promoting ethics in engineering education and practice and providing a variety of ethics-related resources.

Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science: A Case Western Reserve-based center providing working engineers and scientists and students with ethics-related resources.

Software Engineering Ethics Research Institute: An East Tennessee State University-based entity promoting the development of ethical and professional practices addressing the impacts of software engineering and related technologies on society, through research, education, and consultation.

Web Clearinghouse for Engineering and Computing Ethics: A North Carolina State University-based ethics clearinghouse.

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Engineering/Technology and Society:

Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility: An independent public-interest alliance of computer scientists and others interested in the impact of computer technology on society.

Pugwash: An international group seeking to bring scientific insight and reason to bear on threats to human security arising from science and technology in general, and, in particular, threats posed by nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. Two US branches of the group exist - Pugwash USA (aimed at working professionals) and Student Pugwash USA (aimed at students) – along with an International Student/Youth Pugwash branch.

Union of Concerned Scientists: An independent public-interest alliance of scientists and others active in four program areas – the environment, vehicles/transportation, food/agriculture, energy, and security/nuclear arms control.

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College Design Contests/Programs:

Student Design Contest Ideas: Various student contest ideas collected and complied by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME); about 100 ideas currently listed.

Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design (SPEED): Clarkson Univ program open to all undergraduate students that involve 14 separate multidisciplinary team projects/competitions.

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Academic Honor Societies/National Awards:

Overarching Honor Societies:

Tau Beta Pi Association (engineering)

Tau Alpha Pi Association (engineering technology)

Discipline-Specific Honor Societies:

Alpha Epsilon (agricultural and biological engineering)

Alpha Pi Mu (industrial and systems engineering) [NO WEBSITE]

Alpha Sigma Mu (metallurgy and materials engineering) [NO WEBSITE]

Chi Epsilon (civil engineering)

Eta Kappa Nu (electrical and computer engineering)

Omega Chi Epsilon (chemical engineering)

Pi Tau Sigma (mechanical engineering)

Sigma Gamma Tau (aerospace engineering)

National Awards:

All-USA College Academic Team: Annual award program conducted by the USA Today newspaper honoring 60 undergraduates based on both their academic and leadership accomplishments. The top 20 students selected comprise the First Team and are honored in a two-page color spread in USA TODAY in February and receive a $2,500 cash award. The remaining 40 runners-up are assigned to the second and third teams, noted in the paper and receive certificates of achievement.
 

College/University College/University Programs

The Online Guide to Engineering Colleges - A DedicatedEngineers website that serves as an online guide to all U.S. colleges offering accredited undergraduate degree programs in engineering. The site also provides relevant information and resources on engineering studies and careers.

The Online Guide to Engineering Technology Colleges - A DedicatedEngineers website that serves as an online guide to all U.S. colleges offering accredited degree programs in engineering technology. The site also provides relevant information and resources on engineering technology studies and careers.

 The Online Guide to Computer Science Colleges - A DedicatedEngineers website that serves as an online guide to U.S. colleges offering accredited degree programs in computer science and related computing disciplines. The site also provides relevant information and resources on computer science studies and careers.
 

Miscellaneous

NerdGirls: Breaking the Stigmas and Stereotypes of Women in Engineering: Website seeking to encourage young women to pursue engineering and science careers by showcasing a team of women engineering students at Tufts University building and demonstrating a solar-powered car.

The Order of the Engineer: A ceremony at which  engineers are invited to to accept the Obligation of the Engineer (a creed similar to the Hippocratic Oath taken by medical graduates) and are presented with a stainless steel ring to mark the occasion. The ceremonies are conducted by Links (local sections) of the Order, which total nearly 200 nationwide. Inductees must be licensed engineers and/or graduates from an ABET-approved engineering program.

Progressive Engineer: Online magazine and information source covering all disciplines of engineering in the continental U.S. The magazine features profiles of engineers and companies and stories on projects that detail the accomplishments of engineers from a human perspective in an easy-to-read style.

Studying Engineering: A Road Map to a Rewarding Career: A popular "Introduction to Engineering" textbook that seeks to help students achieve success in engineering studies. Authored by Dr. Raymond Landis, Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology at California State University, Los Angeles. List price of $23.

Studying Engineering Technology: A Blueprint for Success: Follows in the footsteps of "Studying Engineering" (see above), but focused on studying engineering technology. Authored by Dr. Stephen Cheshier, a distinguished engineering technology educator with 35 years of experience. List price of $23..

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