“Train the Teacher” Educator Externship at the Association of General Contractors

On Wednesday, July 24, NWESI president Tom Prevish presented at the Association of General Contractors Educator Externship event in Wilsonville, OR. This was a similar presentation given by NWESI engineers at WESD the previous month, highlighting the importance of Test and Balance in modern buildings. He presented basic concepts for building HVAC systems and the physics behind measuring pressures and flows. These followed a format the teachers could use as a basis for their physics and Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes. NWESI personnel built “simulated hospital HVAC system” kits to reinforce the lesson, providing these to teachers for use in their classroom.

The objective of this event was to enable teachers to bring real world examples of STEM careers into the classroom, facilitating the creation of lesson plans tailored towards science and CTE students. The modular kits were designed so teachers could have full access to equipment to explain a variety of practical, scientific concepts. Ultimately, the objective is to provide real-world examples that middle and high school educators can use to encourage students to consider technical careers.

Published August 2019