Engineers Week 2025 Highlights
Spotlighting LaBella’s Community Outreach Initiatives Throughout New York During Engineers Week 2025
This year, Engineers Week 2025 was celebrated from February 16-22, and our engineers were eager to inspire and educate the next generation of innovators. Across New York, we stepped into the community to share our expertise with aspiring engineers of all ages. Keep reading to discover the exciting initiatives we were part of this year!
Thursday and Friday, February 13th-14th
Capital District E-Week and Model Bridge Competition – Albany, NY
Capital District E-Week brought together engineers from all disciplines to promote learning and raise awareness of engineering education. The annual two-day event offers multiple seminars, with proceeds helping to fund engineering student activities in the region. LaBella was a proud sponsor and moderator of the event.
As part of the Capital District’s 45th Annual E-Week, regional high school students will participate in the Model Bridge Competition. Students will build model truss-type or arch-type bridges out of balsa wood and yellow carpenter’s glue. LaBella is proud to sponsor this exciting, hands-on activity designed to spark student interest in engineering.
Tuesday, February 18th
Rochester Museum & Science Center Curiosity Camp: Architects & Engineers – Rochester, NY
LaBellans Susan Wylie, Barbara Burke, Emily Steinbacher, and Bradley Rush visited the Rochester Museum & Science Center’s Curiosity Camp: Architects & Engineers program on Tuesday, February 18th. After an introductory presentation about architecture and engineering concepts and principles, our team worked with the campers on a fun-filled scavenger hunt through building drawings.
Using real plans from LaBella’s design of the West Webster Fire District Station No. 1 building, the campers learned how to navigate through the drawings to locate different elevations, room sizes, symbols, and other building components.
Thursday, February 20th
Buffalo Science Museum Engineers Week Event – Buffalo, NY
For the third consecutive year, LaBella sponsored the National Engineers Week event at the Buffalo Science Museum. This year’s theme was “Design Your Future!” and we chose to volunteer on National Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (or Girl Day), a time when volunteers, educators, and others serve as role models, facilitate engineering activities, and show girls how engineers change our world. DiscoverE’s Despite the Odds research found that this simple formula helps girls develop an interest in engineering, build confidence in their problem-solving skills, and create a STEM identity.
LaBellans Maureen Retzlaff, Rebecca Smith, Sarah Martina, Melissa Levis, Hillary Nicholas, Andrea Sauers, and Michelle Bodewes planned activities and demonstrations to explain the importance of sound structural engineering to the children who visited the museum. Students built houses out of wooden dowels and clay, then tested their integrity on a “shake table” that simulated an earthquake. We had a great day interacting with the community and teaching the children about the basics of structural engineering.
