NJIT's Center for Pre-College Programs to Host TSA-TEAMS Competition for New Jersey State

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: The Technology Student Association’s Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science (TSA-TEAMS) is an annual competition for middle and high school students designed to bridge their classroom learning with the real world and help them discover their potential for engineering. TSA-TEAMS provides participants with original academic and innovative concepts that are developed based on the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges, as well as resources and materials that are created and tested by credentialed engineering professionals and professors. This year’s competition theme is “Engineering a Greener World” and will focus on topics such as light pollution and solar energy. The three top-scoring teams will be invited to compete for national honors at the TSA conference in June.

WHEN: NJIT will welcome 40 teams of four to eight students Monday, March 12, with registration starting at 8:30 a.m. TSA-TEAMS begins at 9:20 a.m. when students will proceed to assigned locations on the NJIT campus. The competition will involve teams completing a multiple-choice test using their math and science skills to solve real-world engineering problems (in the morning), and a design/build component that solves an engineering challenge (in the afternoon). The teams also will have submitted an in-depth essay before the competition day.

WHERE: The Campus Center Atrium on the NJIT quad.

WHY: The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy projects that in this year alone there could be 2.4 million unfilled science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs. Competitions like TSA-TEAMS help to boost the talent pipeline by sparking excitement and interest in STEM among students who will soon join the workforce. They also promote teamwork and students’ self-confidence in solving complex problems.

PARTICIPATING HIGH SCHOOLS: Academy of Engineering and Design Technology, Fair Lawn, Governor Livingston, Hillside, Lakewood, Lawrence, Livingston, Mahwah, New Providence, Northern Valley-Demarest, Northern Valley Regional at Old Tappan, Park Ridge, Ridgewood, Sparta High School Engineering STEM Academy, Spotswood and Tenafly.

PARTICIPATING MIDDLE SCHOOLS: Hoboken Charter School, New Providence and Passaic Gifted and Talented Academy School.

BACKGROUND: The Center for Pre-College Programs, the most successful pre-college program in the state, has hosted the TSA-TEAMS Competition for more than 20 years.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

– Center for Pre-College Programs at NJIT, 973-596-3550, cpcp@njit.edu.