PORTLAND, Maine — Dr. Habib Dagher has become one of Maine’s best-known engineers, leading UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center to statewide research prominence. He has also become an outspoken advocate for developing offshore wind power, and the ASCC laboratory in developing a new design for floating platforms for wind turbines.
Yet, there he was, in a small classroom in Portland’s historic Mechanics Hall, coaching half a dozen high school students on how to build simple bridges with sticks, spaghetti, marshmallows, and gumdrops.
“We need to double the number of engineers we’re producing to make a dent in the need for the state,” Dagher said.
Dagher explained that he uses every chance he gets to try and inspire more of Maine’s young people to seek out those careers.
His trip to Portland was with a speech intended for adults, but talking with the kids, he said, was equally important. They are part of a program called ACE—Architecture, Construction, and Engineering—a project led by people in those industries to encourage students to seek related careers. The program has been active in southern Maine since 2008, according to the current Maine ACE President Adam MacKinnon.
“We are constantly being told the construction industry is looking for people. Here in Maine, we are obviously a much older state, but the industry is getting old itself. So we are trying to develop that next generation," Dagher said.
The students in the workshop with Dagher indicated they wanted to pursue related careers. Two students vocalized an interest in sustainable architecture, several others mentioned particular fields in engineering, and one said they hoped to pursue a role in computer science.
The program currently has 47 participating students this year.
Portland architect Siobhan Baker said all the children in the program are interested in construction, architecture, or engineering.
"We try to help them figure out which part of ACE they really want to focus on," Baker said.
The adults in the program serve as mentors, working with the students throughout the year, helping with projects, and even providing internships to get hands-on experience.
In Dagher's workshop, the students tried different configurations using sticks, spaghetti, marshmallows, and gumdrops to build a simple structure to help support weight across an open space, just like a bridge. Many of their first attempts sagged and collapsed, but Dagher said that was all part of the learning experience.
“Where is it bending the most?” He asked the students at one point. “Right in the middle... So you want the strongest part to be in the middle, right ?”
When another design collapsed under the added weight, Dagher pointed out the tiny bridge had multiple joints.
“That’s the lesson learned because joints are the weak part, so don’t use a lot of them," he said.
Dagher said basic trial and error is the way new engineers learn how to design things correctly.
He praised the students for their efforts and for making improvements in each project they tried. Dagher encouraged the students to pursue their ACE careers because he said Maine’s need is critical.
“Very critical. Maine doesn’t produce enough engineers to do just what we need to do today. So the University has looked at a plan to almost double the number of engineers who graduate over the next five to ten years," he said.
A daunting challenge, he agreed, but one that will be essential to move Maine forward.
The ACE program still has open spots this year. Students from southern Maine high schools can contact ACE for more details.
Although the program is currently only offered in Southern Maine schools, the organizers say they would welcome any interest in starting a Bangor chapter.