KU News Release

Engineering Expo to feature KU graduate who helped create Google Earth

LAWRENCE — One of the creative forces behind Google Earth, University of Kansas engineering graduate Brian McClendon, will return to his alma mater to kick off the Engineering Expo for elementary and high school students.

McClendon, a Lawrence native, was instrumental in choosing KU as the opening destination of Google Earth, the popular geographical information tool.

The expo, a free two-day celebration of engineering and computer science, usually draws between 1,000 and 2,000 visitors and features dozens of interactive exhibits, contests and activities. It will take place Friday, Feb. 23, and Saturday, Feb. 24, during National Engineers Week.

McClendon, engineering director for Google Earth, will kick off activities as the keynote speaker at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 23 in the Lied Center. After McClendon’s presentation, KU students, visitors and guests will gather at Eaton and Learned halls.

Displays and hands-on activities at Eaton and Learned are open 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 23 and 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 24. The public is welcome to attend.

Several design contests, which begin at 11 a.m., are in the works, including:
— volcano building competition
— balsa flyer contest
— pasta bridge contest
— digital logic contest
— construct-a-car contest
— programming contest
— night vision competition
— Rube Goldberg
— spy quest scavenger hunt

Among the dozens of hands-on activities and displays that have been at recent expos are:
— kinematic suit to track the motion of the human body
— make your own concrete
— wind tunnel demonstrations
— networked computer gaming
— heat transfer pancake feed
— root beer brewing
— 3-D video cameras
— rocket design
— concrete canoe
— flight simulator
— space shuttle simulator
— racecar simulator
— formula-style competition racecars
— Acoustics and lighting displays, including voice and sound modulation
— chemistry show
— robotics

Events on Feb. 24 include activities to recognize top high school seniors in the state who have indicated a desire to study engineering or computer science at KU.

Complete information about Engineering Expo, as well as contest guidelines and registration information, can be found online.

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.