Detroit, MI - - Spalding DeDecker Associates, Inc. (SDA), a regional civil engineering and surveying firm, hosts their 2nd Annual K-12 Engineering and Surveying Fair.

On Tuesday, May 19, 2009, volunteers from Spalding DeDecker Associates, Inc. (SDA) and Testing Engineers & Consultants, Inc. (TEC) worked together to host the 2nd Annual K-12 Engineering and Surveying Fair at SDA’s Rochester Hills office. The purpose of this event was to build awareness and to promote the civil engineering and surveying fields. There is a huge shortage of students pursuing these fields, and if children are exposed to these careers, they are more likely to investigate these technical professions.

Interactive, hands-on activities included:

Weights and Measures contest

Electrical Circuits

Motion, Momentum, and Impulse

Quick-Fixes for Traffic Crashes

Designing for “Greener” Stormwater

Building Tall

Surveying - Pacing Contest, Find the Iron, and Measure a horizontal distance along a slope

Bridge Building

Trebuchet

Soils Laboratory

Surveying Video

Thermal Imaging Technology

Alternative Energy

More than 90 people participated in the fair. Kids received stickers for participation at each station. Those who participated at all stations received a diploma and gift certificate.

The SDA volunteers were Jason Arnold, Craig Bagby, Mark Balon, Steve Benedettini & family, Nadette Bullington, Lori Chevalier, Dan Clark, Terry Cynowa, Cathy DeDecker, Mike DeDecker, Richard Dee, Tom Dohr, Cheryl Gregory, Andy Keller & family, Jim King, Debbie Kudla, Sarah Lambdin, Bill Lambdin, Phil Loud, Brian McKissen, Ted Meadows, Joe Muller, Dave Potter, Crystal Sapp, Maria Sedki, Robin Sfire, Alex Shteynvil, Keith Sirois, Dana Suggitt, Beth Sullins, Monica Tonucci, Paul Tulikangas, and Jim Van Tiflin. TEC volunteers hosted a station demonstrating thermal imaging.

“As Employee-Owners of SDA, we expect everyone at SDA to be engaged in our professions. We’re seeing a decline in the number of engineers and surveyors graduating from colleges all over the U.S., so we think it’s important to show our young people what we do and how important it is for our future generations. This was our 2nd annual fair, and it was a huge success based upon the number of kids who attended. They got a taste for what engineering and surveying is all about in a ‘hands-on’ environment. Hopefully that translates into a desire to make engineering or surveying their profession,” said David A. Lakin, PE, President of SDA.


Established in 1954, Spalding DeDecker Associates, Inc. is an engineering consulting firm specializing in infrastructure, land development, and surveying. With offices in Brighton, Detroit, Monroe, Plymouth, Rochester Hills, and Trenton, Michigan, SDA is an employee-owned and ISO certified organization that provides design and engineering solutions for municipal, land development, transportation, and water/wastewater projects. The firm also offers complete construction engineering, landscape architecture, pavement management, and land surveying & mapping services.