The American Society for Engineering Education states that, "Women and Minorities are still underrepresented in Engineering." In addition, the United States continues to face an engineering gap where countries like China are producing, on average, 600,000 new engineers a year, while the US produces just 70,000.

Portland State University and Oregon MESA (Math, Engineering, Science, Achievement) will host their annual MESA Day 2008, an event designed to attract more middle and high school students to science, technology, engineering and math careers. Through school based programs, Oregon MESA strives to increase the number of diverse and women engineers in Oregon.

Intel and the Portland-based Lemelson Foundation are the lead sponsors for this year's Oregon MESA Day to be held at Portland State University on Friday, May 9. Over 350 diverse middle school and high school students from thirteen schools in the greater Portland area have worked on projects in teams to prepare for MESA Day. Two teams will earn a trip to represent Oregon at the National MESA USA competition in Maryland.

Participants will tackle science and engineering challenges such as trebuchet building, bridge design, and the infamous egg drop. PSU students, faculty members and local industry professionals from companies like Intel and IBM volunteer as judges for the competitions.

MESA Day 2008 will take place Friday, May 9, 2008, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Portland State University Peter W. Stott Center (930 SW Hall). Competitions and hands-on activities will run from approximately 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Media interested in photos of students in action should plan on attending between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and should contact David Coronado, Director of Oregon MESA at 503-725-4268. The awards ceremony takes place from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

MESA Day 2008 is sponsored by Intel Oregon and the Lemelson Foundation.

Oregon MESA
Oregon MESA is a pre-college outreach program of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science at Portland State University dedicated to engaging under-represented students and girls, grades 6 -12, in hands-on math, engineering, science and technology projects during weekly chapter meetings at school sites. Currently there are MESA programs in 16 public middle and high schools in the greater Portland area. More than 350 students are participating in MESA this academic year. This year's MESA chapters include Brown, Binnsmead, Roseway Heights, Meadow Park, Mountain View, Ockley Green, Portsmouth and Poynter Middle Schools; as well as Benson, Grant, Gresham, Liberty, Marshall Biztech, Joseph L Meek and NAYA Early College High School. Oregon MESA is a member of MESA USA, a partnership of MESA programs from eight states.

About Intel
Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom. Intel Oregon is Intel's largest and most comprehensive site in the world. Additional information about Intel Oregon is available at www.intel.com/community/oregon.

About the Lemelson Foundation
Founded by Jerome Lemelson, one of U.S. history's most prolific inventors, The Lemelson Foundation celebrates and supports inventors and entrepreneurs in order to strengthen social and economic life. To date the Foundation has donated or committed more than $130 million in support of its mission in the U.S. and in developing countries. For more information, please visit www.lemelson.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (#08-030)

Source: David Coronado (503-725-4268)
Program Director, Oregon MESA