CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (UVa)-- From 3-D printing to game development to Nano Fun giant balloon sculptures and leading-edge research exhibits in alternative energy, transportation and health care, the University of Virginias Engineering Open House showcases how engineers make a difference in the world.

Prospective students and the public are invited to the event, to be held March 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in and around Thornton Hall, the home of U.Va.s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

The event, which draws more than 1,000 visitors each spring, allows prospective students, parents, educators and all others who are interested in engineering to meet faculty and staff; talk with current students; tour buildings, labs and classrooms; and visit exhibits that highlight faculty and student research.

At this years Open House, there will be opportunities to explore the field of nanomedicine and to visit exhibits on the ChemE car, biorenewable chemicals and fuels, Smart Homes, game development, spacecraft design, electric vehicles and exhibits like From Dance to Robots: Style-Based Abstractions for Human-Inspired Autonomous Systems, among many other things.

The days activities also will include a presentation by Engineering Dean James Aylor and sessions on admissions by George Cahen, professor, director of experiential programs and outreach and associate dean of undergraduate programs, and Jeannine Lalonde, senior assistant dean of undergraduate admission.

There also will be overview sessions on various engineering disciplines and a presentation by a former astronaut, engineering professor Kathy Thornton, on the Sights and Sounds of Space Flight. Engineering students will lead tours, including Rice Hall and the 3-D lab in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

The Center for Diversity in Engineering also will host special programs and information sessions.

The Engineering School Open House is free and open to the public.

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UVa Today: Engineering Open House