Coastal Carolina University’s Gupta College of Science, in collaboration with the Department of Physics and Engineering Science, is hosting its annual Engineering Week (EWeek) Feb. 22-24, 2022. The week will feature a variety of events that give CCU students an opportunity to learn from industry professionals, including CCU alumni.

“The reality is that career opportunities are available to our engineering students in every sector of today’s economy - electrical and electronics engineers within the electric vehicle markets; data analysts in the financial services sector; aerospace engineers focused on space exploration; supply chain managers and engineers across all industrial sectors; project managers in the construction industry and other sectors; manufacturing engineers; technical sales; quality engineers and analysts in manufacturing, and countless ‘traditional engineering’ careers,” said Reggie M. Bell, teaching associate and engineer in residence in CCU’s Department of Physics and Engineering Science.

EWeek was founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers in conjunction with President George Washington’s birthday, Feb. 22. Washington is considered the nation’s first engineer, notably for his survey work. EWeek is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers.

This year’s event, themed “Reimagining the Possible,” will be held in person, with key segments livestreamed simultaneously.

CCU’s celebration will open on Tuesday, Feb. 22, with a keynote address by Bonnie Prado Pino, Ph.D., an astrodynamics engineer with LeoLabs in Menlo Park, Calif., in Singleton Ballroom at 12:15 p.m. A native of Quibdó, Chocó, Colombia, she is the co-founder of the Afro-Latino Experience Organization, a nonprofit initiative that seeks to expose underrepresented students from disadvantaged regions in Latin America to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Tuesday’s events also include a panel discussion with CCU engineering science alumni moderated by Bell in the Singleton Ballroom at 3 p.m. Panelists include David Charland ’21, who is studying mechanical and aerospace engineering at George Washington University; Victoria Davis ’21, a graduate research assistant and Master of Science student in mechanical and nuclear engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University; and Austin Smothers ’18, an education and training coordinator in Clemson University’s Research and Education in Disease Diagnosis and Intervention Lab.

Wednesday, Feb. 23, will feature the Physics and Engineering Club student competition with an exhibition and judging at 5:25 p.m. in Science Building II, room 332.

An industrial panel discussion monitored by Bell is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 24, at 3 p.m. In addition to Prado Pino, panelists will include Andy Altman, manager of commercial energy services at Santee Cooper; Corey Douglas, project manager with Clancy & Theys Construction Company in Wilmington, N.C.; Justin Henry ’21, a product quality assurance and warranty analyst for DMA Sales; and Jeffrey Pittelli ’16, head of engineering and sales for Teknoware in Conway, S.C.

For more information on CCU’s EWeek, contact Wes Hitt, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Physics and Engineering Science, at ghitt@coastal.edu.