EIRs are engineers who are enthusiastic about what they do and want to share it with young people. They open a window onto the real world and all the possibilities it offers. At the same time, they answer a question that's always on students' minds: "WHY do I have to know this?"

Engineers who volunteer to be EIRs come from all walks of life and stages of their careers. Some are just starting out, completing a higher degree or in their first full-time job. Others have been in the workforce for a number of years and are working full-tilt in high-tech companies or publicly-funded institutions. Some of our EIRs have left the workforce to raise families. Others are retired. Some are running their own companies or consulting practices.

No matter what their work and family commitments might be, all our volunteer engineers are committed to a regular relationship with their EIR school. Whether they visit the school once a month or once a week, they stay in regular communication with their primary contact teacher, and make themselves available for planning with teachers.

The EIR program runs over an entire school year so that EIRs and teachers can plan their activities well in advance. Teacher-engineer teams record all of their major activities so that others may benefit from their experiences.