Bobbe Spink, who along with her husband founded the Montessori School on McCallie Avenue in Chattanooga, will discuss how to design displays that will grab and hold a child's attention.  She says even young children are capable of absorbving information, concepts and skills from their surroundings and peers almost as though through osmosis.  Spink will show us how children will spontaneously ask questions, investigate, create and explore new ideas in an environment that is intellectually and artistically alive, warm and encouraging.  Montessori classrooms are thoughtfully arranged with compelling lessons that children choose themselves. These materials take the child on a personal journey of discovery and mastery. The Montessori teacher acts as a guide. Their school has grown from one preschool class to a school offering grades 1-8.  The staff consists of 15 teachers, specialists and directors.  The total enrollment of 125 includes children from Hixson, Signal Mountain, Lookout Mountain, Ooltewah, North Georgia, Dalton and Cleveland.

Invocation:  Ron Burton

Menu:  Coleslaw, Barbeque Pork Sandwich, Roasted Yukon Potatoes, Green Beans

For information on E-Week activities, see:  http://www.chattanoogaengineersclub.org/engineer/EWeek_Activities_2005.htm

OUR PREVIOUS MEETING ______________________________________________________________

February 23:  David Magee, author of Ford Tough, gave examples from Nissan, Ford, John Deere and Motorola where product design differentiated these companies from their competitors.  He told us in his "Power of Design" presentation how important design has been and will be in the world of business.  "This will be the decade of design," he said. Companies that are being daring with their designs, incorporating new technologies, will likely be leaders in their industry.  

Several attending the meeting test drove a new Ford Escape Hybrid SUV provided by the Advanced Transportation Technology Institute.  Most Ford Escapes are already sold when they arrive at dealer lots.  So, we thank Jim Frierson for bringing this one for us to try.  For more on Earth's first and only fully hybrid SUV, see http://www.fordvehicles.com/escapehybrid/home/. 

UTC students on the DARPA team were present along with Dr. Phil Kazemersky and Dr. Andy Novobilski.  DARPA stands for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and is part of the United States Department of Defense.  DARPA has offered a $2 million cash prize to the Grand Challenge team that builds a completely autonomous ground vehicle that travels the fastest time in under 10 hours across approximately 175 miles of treacherous desert roads and trails.  The UTC team is one of 35 university-based teams that entered the competition in February.  From the 195 Grand Challenge teams, 40 will be selected by June for a site visit as they narrow the competition for the final race.  If you or your company would like to become a sponsor (cash, products or services) for this DARPA Grand Challenge Team, please contact Dr. Andy Novobilski at 425-4202 or Andy-Novobilski@utc.edu.

FUTURE MONDAY MEETINGS (noon in the Continental Room of the Sheraton Read House if location isn't listed)_____________
 
March 7:  "NASA Science Program for Elementary Education"  Debbie Rosenow, Battle Academy

March 14:  "Eastern Interconnect Phasor Project -- Responding to NERC's Blackout Recommendations"  Mike Ingram, TVA

March 21:  "Optimizing Your Compressed Air System"  Art Stavrum, Ingersoll-Rand Company, Chattanooga Air Center

March 28:  "Robotics Role in the Military"  Don Jones, MESA Robotics, Madison, AL

April 4:  Award-Winning paper presented at a joint meeting with the ASEE (American Society of Engineering Educators) Southeast Section Conference--Lunch will be $12 at the UTC Student Center and will require RSVP in advance to Judy Driggans at 751-7616

April 11:  (tentative) speaker from Oak Ridge National Laboratory

April 18:  "Nanotechnology In Medicine" Dr. Robert Bergland

April 25:  "A Camera So Small People Swallow It To Help Diagnose Digestive Problems" Bill Garner, Given Imaging, Inc., Norcross, GA

May 2:  “Don’t Burn Coal, refine it first!  Coal Refining Technology that Advanced Coal Technology (ACT) has proposed in India" Dale Bradshaw

May 9:  "Aerodynamic Drag Reduction of Heavy Vehicles" Dr. David Whitfield, UTC SimCenter

WHERE WE MEET _______________________________________________________

We usually meet at The Read House, and lunch is $11.  Parking is free at the Days Inn across MLK Blvd. but you’ll need a note in your windshield that you’re attending the Chattanooga Engineers Club meeting.  Valet parking (by AAA, the manager of the Read House Hotel parking garage) is about $3 for lunch events.  The Read House Hotel garage entrance is now on Broad Street.

QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS? ______________________________________________

If you have any questions or suggestions about program items please contact Judy Driggans at 423-751-7616 or by email at jdriggans@comcast.net. You can find references to other Chattanooga Engineers Club members at our web site: www.ChattanoogaEngineersClub.org.