Nov 19 2019
Building the World’s largest Lego Suspension Bridge in Melbourne entices all generations to engage with engineering and to connect with making a positive impact for current and future cities to ensure our planet is sustainable. The Bridge will arrive at the World Engineering Convention (WEC) on 20th November 2019.
The Monash MITI (Monash Industry Team Initiative) Program has brought the massive bridge – 34 m long, 3.5 m tall with 262,550 Lego bricks and weighing 500 kg - to Melbourne where it has been built by MITI multidisciplinary student teams, Monash alumnae and staff. The Bridge was originally designed by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in the UK to celebrate their 200th year anniversary and now it is coming to Melbourne to be part of World Engineering Convention (WEC) and 100th year anniversary for Engineers Australia. Key supporters of the bridge include Monash University MITI Program, Chief Engineer, OPV, Engineers Australia, Transurban, UK Consul, Veski & Institution of Civil Engineers UK.
Victoria’s Chief Engineer, Dr Collette Burke, has been a Lego Bridge champion, ensuring the bridge showcases the connection of community, past and present, how the bridge highlights the innovation, creativity and ingenuity whilst harnessing the beauty and skill applied by engineers and the pivotal role they play in society.
Please attribute to Dr Collette Burke, Victoria’s Chief Engineer:
I’m really passionate about attracting young people to engineering. This was a perfect opportunity to engage young people and pique their interest through bringing the world’s largest LEGO bridge to Australia for the first time.
We want to ignite their interest using conventional and unconventional approaches to highlight how engineering is part of everyday life and set them on the path to be a future engineer.
Please attribute to Madeleine McManus OAM, Monash Director of Industry Engagement & Founding Director MITI (Monash Industry Team Initiative:
It was integral to have industry sponsorship of the Monash MITI Team in building the World’s largest LEGO bridge. Their support is key in targeting the engineers of the future.
As an engineering community, we need to make sure that industry continue to commit to supporting and training young people and communicating how diverse engineering can be. To be an engineer, you need a range of qualities that aren’t always highlighted, you need to be creative, collaborative, a problem solver and most importantly, a life long learner.
These are the qualities I look for in students who become part of the Monash MITI teams, who are working with Australian and international businesses, developing inventive solutions to real issues the face in their companies.
Source: https://miti.monash.edu