9/11/2008 - New Program Introduces Children to Engineering at Austin Children's Museum

Austin Children's Museum Collaborates with UT's Cockrell School of Engineering on Program

Austin, Texas (September 11, 2008) - Families will discover a new
engineering program on Saturday mornings starting September 20, 2008 at
Austin Children's Museum. In collaboration with The University of
Texas's Cockrell School of Engineering, the Museum will present
Engineering Saturday - a gallery program that aims to spark children and
families' interest in engineering as something that affects their
everyday lives.

Dr. Phil Schmidt, ACM Board Member and UT Professor of Mechanical
Engineering, played a key role establishing this partnership with ACM.
"In my experience as an engineering professor, a father and a
grandfather, I've always relished opportunities to engage children in
learning about technology the hands-on way. The Engineering Saturday
program will provide that kind of opportunity on a regular basis for
kids and the adults in their lives," said Schmidt.

Students from UT's Cockrell School of Engineering will present hands-on
activities in ACM's Tinkerer's Workshop exhibit space on Saturday
mornings during the UT school semester. "This program is a flagship for
our new mission to equip and inspire the next generation of creative
problem solvers," said Becky Jones, Director of Education at ACM. "We're
most excited to provide our visitors the opportunity to work directly
with UT students as powerful role models of young people passionately
engaged in learning." Dr. Schmidt shares the same enthusiasm. "I'm
especially excited that engineering students, some of UT's best and
brightest, will be directly involved working with kids on a one-on-one
basis," said Schmidt. "They bring an inside knowledge of engineering and
a desire to serve and teach. It's going to be a great mix and a lot of
fun for everyone."

The Museum has other educational partners in the UT community. UT
Hands-on-Science (through Center for Materials Chemistry) and a number
of UT student groups participate regularly in the Museum's existing
Science Sunday program, where field experts lead children in science
experiments and demonstrations on select Sunday afternoons.

The Engineering Saturday program is scheduled to kickoff on September
20, 2008 from 10am-noon. Subsequent sessions will be planned for
selected Saturday mornings while UT is in session over the next 2 years.
Participation in the program is included with Museum admission. Visit
www.austinkids.org for up-to-the-minute program schedule.

ABOUT ACM
The mission of the Austin Children's Museum is to create innovative
learning experiences for children and families that equip and inspire
the next generation of creative problem solvers. Located at the Dell
Discovery Center downtown at the corner of 2nd Street and Colorado, the
Austin Children's Museum is one of the city's popular cultural
attractions with 210,000 visitors annually. Founded in 1983 as a
non-profit organization, the Austin Children's Museum delivers its
mission through a variety of exhibits, programs and outreach activities.
For more information, please visit www.austinkids.org.
###