Engineers Week at Case Western Reserve University to feature family carnival, lego robotics competition, biomed conference.

Imagine being part of a team that is working on the next-generation lunar rover by helping NASA Glenn Research Center simulate the soil on the surface of the moon, or being one of the first people to successfully build a fuel cell-powered car. Imagine helping to study deep brain stimulation, a technique to treat movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, or creating robotic vehicles that will keep troops safer in combat missions. Important research like this is going on now at Case Western Reserve University, but to keep it going, generations of kids have to be interested in engineering careers—and to aspire as high as their imaginations will take them.

That's why the Case School of Engineering is observing the 56th annual National Engineers Week, a celebration of engineering's impact on society, February 18-23. This year's theme, "Imagine," will focus on innovation and design using engineering principles.

"Engineering affects almost every aspect of modern life," said Norman Tien, dean of the Case School of Engineering. "Engineers Week is an opportunity for current engineers to celebrate the field and to get future engineers excited about the challenges of tomorrow."

Tien, who began his duties as dean of the Case School of Engineering on February 1, also will be the featured speaker at the Cleveland Engineering Society's 2007 Leadership Breakfast Series Tuesday, February 20 at 7:30 a.m., at the Myers University Club, 3813 Euclid Ave. He will present his perspective on the future of engineering and technology for the region at the breakfast meeting.

The Engineers Week celebration at Case kicks off Sunday, February 18, at 1:30 p.m. in Adelbert Gymnasium with the Case Engineering Festival. The week's signature event, the festival is a fun and educational afternoon of hands-on experiments, puzzles and games developed by Case engineering students and faculty for elementary, middle and high school students and their families. Visitors can also take guided tours of the labs where Case's world-renowned researchers make their scientific breakthroughs. Labs include the Biologically-Inspired Robotics Lab, the Case Wind Tunnel and labs where Case's well-known fuel cell research takes place. Tours of each lab will be held only on Sunday, February 18, beginning at 1:30 p.m.