Engineers on Wheels

The Florida International University Engineers on Wheels program is an initiative which brings FIU engineering students to South Florida K-12 schools. EOW provides students with hands-on activities and engineering experiments while exposing them to career opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).

The program features grade-appropriate, interactive lessons and presentations led by FIU students and overseen by FIU faculty. Subjects include mechanical and materials engineering, computer science and information technology, biomedical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, construction and engineering management, and electrical and computer engineering.

Engineers on Wheels builds upon the success of the college’s annual Engineering Expo, which brings more than 1,400 K-12 students from Miami-Dade and Broward county schools to FIU to learn firsthand about career opportunities in STEM.

“What MDCPS teachers are saying about EoW”

“As a teacher, this program has had a high impact in energizing our classroom and connecting us with our community.”

“Engineers on Wheels is a program that every teacher dreams of for their students. EoW provides hands-on activities facilitated by the experts that expose students to a world of endless opportunities.”

“Engineers on Wheels has not only given me the opportunity to expose my students to real world applications, but also the resources to enrich and reinforce their understanding of math and science concepts.”

For Parents

Activities

Engage your students with hands-on experiments and activities. Find out more about CDSSEC’s inventory of 364 STEM kits.

You can view our full database of activities here.

For Students

Student Led Presentations

Watch and learn from recorded Engineers on Wheels presentations led by FIU student researchers and student organizations.

You can view our full database of online curriculum here.

For Teachers

Lesson Plans

Download free K-12 lesson plans created by local South Florida teachers. Lessons cover topics related to labs, student organizations, and student competition teams at FIU. All lessons align with the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS).

You can view our full database of lesson plans here.

Lab & Research Highlights

Watch videos that summarize the exciting work being done in our state-of-the-art FIU labs.

You can view our full database of online lab & research highlights here.

Our Teacher Partners

Kaitlin Cunningham, M.S.Ed.

NY, FL and DC K-6 Certified General and Special Education Teacher
Special Education Teacher in District of Columbia Public Schools

Kaitlin Cunningham Gonzalez inspires her students to find joy in learning through taking risks and problem-solving in project-based learning. Kaitlin earned her Bachelor’s in Childhood Education and Master’s in Special Education at Manhattan College. After earning her master’s, she served with AmeriCorps in Miami, FL as a 7th and 8th-grade reading teacher, where her passion for service flourished. Since AmeriCorps, she has taught at public schools in Brooklyn, NY, Miami, FL, and currently in Washington, DC.

While in Miami, Kaitlin earned 2018’s Rookie Teacher of the Year at George Washington Carver Elementary School. She served as the STE(A)M liaison, leading her school to achieve its very first back-to-back Gold STE(A)M Designation from the Miami Dade County Public Schools. During her years of teaching at George Washington Carver Elementary school, Kaitlin also served as grade level chair, a member of the school’s leadership team, a School Improvement Plan (SIP)

Team Member, a Digital Leader on the Professional Learning Support Team, and a member of the Discovery Education Digital Leader Network. These experiences allowed her to learn and grow as an educator while providing the opportunity to support her colleagues.

Kaitlin was selected to participate in Florida International University’s PATHS-UP Research Experience for Teachers, where she learned and researched how sensors are utilized in biomedical engineering. At the end of the program, Kaitlin submitted her curriculum that aligned with her research experience to TeachEngineering.org. Her curriculum was selected and published, making her the first FIU RET participant to have their curriculum published.

Kaitlin is now teaching at a public school in Washington, DC as a special education math teacher for grades second through fifth. She believes that her experience and knowledge within STEM education have allowed her to provide her student’s opportunities to excel at solving real-world problems through project-based learning while aligning it with educational standards and individualized learning goals.

Alex Garrido, M.S.Ed.

FL State 6-12 Certified Teacher and Engineering Lead Teacher
Hialeah Gardens High School

Alex Garrido is an electrical engineer currently serving as the lead teacher of the Academy of Engineering at Hialeah Gardens High School. He is also the lead instructor of the Project Lead the Way Engineering Pathways Program at Hialeah Gardens High School for over ten years. Alex has been a National Science Foundation PATHS-UP RET participant since 2019 with research focused on biophotonics and working under the supervision of the Principal Investigator, Dr. Ramella. Mr. Garrido is also a computer science instructor with many awards and accolades in the IT industry. His passion for community service has significantly impacted his school and the neighboring communities. His research interests include Bioengineering, Artificial intelligence, and Robotics. Alex has worked with developing curriculum for Engineers on Wheels and has hosted FIU students in his classroom for outreach visits. He also served as the lead teacher on the Engineering Engagement Kit (EEK) curriculum project for NSF sponsored CELL MET workforce development.

Gallery

Our Sponsors

Contact Us

Andrew Green, Associate Director
Center for Diversity and Student Success
College of Engineering & Computing
Telephone: 305-348-3819
Email:  agreen@fiu.edu