Chattanooga is the ideal place to appreciate Engineers Week. Described as the River City, Scenic City and Gig City, the Tennessee town owes its legacy to engineers.
Stroll across Market Street Bridge. Run down the Tennessee Riverwalk. Ride your bike around TVA’s Raccoon Mountain Reservoir or drive over Chickamauga Dam. These are a few of the examples of the engineering feats that serve as the foundation for this city.
The theme for 2014 Engineers Week, which is Feb. 16-22, is “Discover Engineering. Let’s Make a Difference.” The theme has a dual purpose — educate the public on what we do and attract future engineers to the field by visiting classrooms.
Next month, the Tennessee Engineering Excellence Award winners will be announced to honor projects that achieve excellence in engineering design. Several Chattanooga projects entered for award consideration exemplify the theme of a community seeking to change its corner of the world.
From the 1960s to the early 1980s, Chattanooga was viewed as one of the dirtiest cities in the United States. Engineers, citizens and government leaders have worked together to transform Chattanooga into a beautiful, healthy and sustainable place to live. In 1996, the city won the first U.S. Presidential Award for Sustainable Development. This recognition acknowledges the hard work and commitment that engineers, local businesses and the city have put into making Chattanooga a better place to live.