Engineering: Our People, Our Planet - How We Shape Our World

What do the iPhone, the internet, the Hoover Dam and genetically engineered mosquitoes have in common? They were all created by engineers. Engineers are people who can imagine a reality that does not exist, think through how to bring that vision into being, and design and execute their designs in reality.

Engineering is about the imagination, creativity and incredible focus that allows humans to create the future.

In the words of MIT President Reif, as engineers we are “restlessly reinventing” ourselves to make a better world. The notion of making a better world is not sloganeering. It’s what we do. It’s what we have always done.

1. Who is engineering in our community?
2. Why is it important/newsworthy? Is it exciting to you?
3. Will this be visual enough to work with as a subject?
4. Can you get the access you need when you need it?

• Understand how to report using tenets of SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM
• Understand how to record VIRTUAL and/or IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS (following all public health guidance)
• Understand how to capture B-ROLL, solicit it from subjects, and/or get it from other sources
• Understand how to TRANSCRIBE recorded footage
• Critically think about interview content and identify NEWSWORTHY soundbites
• Understand how to EDIT together a series of SOUNDBITES and B-ROLL sequences to form a cohesive narrative

Create a newsworthy story about how engineers and engineering are shaping and reshaping the world around us. Look in your school, your home, your community, or your state for interesting stories that resonate with you. Find a story that makes you curious and that you’d like to watch.

What visuals can I get for this story?

A lot of discovery and engineering technology happens inside a computer and all you can see are screens and hands on keyboards. This is fine if the end result affects people, places and things and you can film the results of the work beyond screens and keyboards. Ideally your engineers are building an end product you can film with your cameras.

Think of youth voices. Are there young engineers in your community who are making a difference through robotics, optics, or another form of engineering? Does your subject touch the lives of young people, can we hear from them? (Remember to get a release if under 18)

Video Profile of an individual that is a standout in their field, creating something that is making a significant impact on people or our world, like safer football helmets, flood indicators or smart clothing.

Video Profile Example:

Boy Invents Cancer Test

Video Feature of a new industry or application that will touch all our lives: Autonomous cars, genetically modified crops, animals, and possibly humans. Who are the players, what is driving this push, what are the risks, what are the benefits, what are the obstacles, how do engineers anticipate and overcome those obstacles?

Video Feature Example:

Paralyzed man moves his hand controlled by his own brain for the first time

Video News Package about a breakthrough or new application. Scientists are bio-engineering a “living drug” to fight cancer- creating specialized proteins on certain white blood cells as the key to fit the lock of specific cancer cells.

Video News Package Example:

How 3-D printed arms are changing kids' lives around the world

General Assignment News Package stories with a human interest or business perspective. Are dams and highways ready for a big earthquake? How does age affect a bridge? How do we test our infrastructure? How does a green building work?

General Assignment Package Example:

Earthquake Prevention and Preparedness in California

We suggest creating a folder and keeping all documents related to your story in one place.

STEP 1: FIND A GOOD STORY

Estimated time to complete step: One day to one week

Associated SRL Lessons:

• Find your story
• Follow your curiosity

Research Comparative Projects:

• International Project: Choose an engineering project from the list below.

1. Advanced Water Management in the Netherlands – OWASIS System
   Space-powered insights for smarter water management to roll out across the Netherlands in 2025
   This article from ESA Business describes how satellite data and advanced monitoring (as implemented in projects like OWASIS) are revolutionizing water management in the Netherlands.
2. Innovative Transportation Systems in Japan
   Article provides details on Japan’s cutting-edge magnetic levitation high-speed rail project, showcasing its design, expected performance, and broader impact on transportation technology.

• Local Project: Identify a current engineering project in your community (e.g., infrastructure improvements, renewable energy initiatives).

Collect Data:

• Background Information: Gather details on each project’s goals, challenges, technological approaches, and outcomes.
• Contextual Factors: Research the cultural, environmental, economic, and political influences shaping each project.

STEP 2: IDENTIFY YOUR CHARACTERS

Estimated time to complete step: A couple days to one week

Associated SRL Lessons:

• Pitch your story

Your main character can be a classmate, teacher, artist, athlete, counselor, principal, coach, janitor, etc. Who is willing to tell their story? Do research and fill out the SRL Pitch Sheet. Chat with potential interview subjects to confirm that they are willing and able to participate. Take good notes. If you contact someone and they don’t seem like the best fit, ask them to give you suggestions about who else to reach out to.

You can weave together several characters that have different points of view about the same topic.

Questions to think about:

• WHAT’S YOUR BIG IDEA? If your audience only
  learn one thing from your story, what would it be?
• IS THIS A STORY? Does it have a beginning, middle,
  and end? An interesting character?
• CAN YOU PULL THIS OFF? Think about logistics: weather, time, length, access to people and filming locations. Is your idea realistic?
• IS IT VISUAL? Visual is EVERYTHING for a successful video. You can also coach your subject to record their own broll.

STEP 3: WRITE YOUR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS IN YOUR PITCH SHEET

Estimated time to complete step: One to three days

Associated SRL Lessons:

• Art of the Interview

Avoid yes or no questions. Start questions with: Tell me; Describe; Explain; Identify; Help me understand. Have an idea of what you want to hear, but let the conversation flow. Make sure to schedule your interviews.

STEP 4: TIME TO FILM!

Estimated time to complete step: A few days to one week

Use Level Up tutorials for ideas about how to set up your camera, frame your shots, find strong lighting and capture good audio. B-ROLL, LIGHTING, Principles Of Photography (Teachers - assign these worksheets to help build skills.) Think about the concept of b-roll sequencing and practice shooting good b-roll.

Associated Resources:

How to Conduct Virtual Interviews

The Art of the Remote Interview Webinar

ON CAMERA IDENTIFICATION: For the record, please say and spell your full name (first and last) on camera. Also please describe how you want to be identified in this video. For example, “I’m an 11th grade student at Canyon High School in Santa Clarita, California” NOTE: SRL’S EDITORS NEED THIS INFORMATION AND WON’T BE ABLE TO PUBLISH YOUR VIDEO WITHOUT IT

**MUST DO: Ask subjects under 18 years old to sign this release form.**

STEP 5: THINK VISUALLY

Besides your characters talking, what can you or your character film to bring the story to life? Write down the shots you want to gather using this organizer.

STEP 6: TRANSCRIBE THE VIDEO YOU RECORD

Estimated time to complete step: One day

You can do this by hand or use a site that creates a word file of your video like otter.ai. Make sure to GO BACK and listen to fix spelling errors and become more familiar with the material you captured.

STEP 7: HIGHLIGHT YOUR BEST SOUNDBITES and cut them out with scissors.

Estimated time to complete step: One day

STEP 8: IDENTIFY YOUR STORY’S BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END

Estimated time to complete step: One to three days

Associated SRL Lessons:

• Scripting 101; Webinar

REVIEW:

• What is the best way to start your story? Think about the videos that you watch online: how do they capture your attention?
• Remember: The first 7 seconds of your video are critical. Use your best b-roll or most compelling soundbite.
• How do you want your story to end? What do you want your audience to feel? What do you want us to be thinking about after we watch your story?
• Arrange your soundbites to tell your story.

STEP 9: WRITE YOUR SCRIPT USING THIS TEMPLATE

Your script should include a beginning, middle and end before you start editing. Take a look at this script lesson for inspiration. Estimated time to complete step: One to three days

Consider whether your story needs voiceover (VO). A voiceover is the connective tissue that holds the parts of your story together. You can also use it to include information that was missing from what your characters said.

If you produce a 1–2-minute voiceover, explain how the projects operate within their unique contexts, and discuss any lessons or innovations that could be transferred from one setting to the other. Listen to student reporter Mason Baum’s voiceover in this piece on the NewsHour.

STEP 10: EDIT YOUR VIDEO

Estimated time to complete step: One week

Use the highlighted soundbites to create a video montage on your timeline. If it’s your first time editing, use the SRL Editing Webinar to help you organize your footage, create a project, import, and export your final video.

1. Add b-roll to visually support the audio and cover jump cuts.
2. Pay attention to sound and match levels.
3. Export a rough cut edit, maximum of 4 minutes for review.
   1. Format: H.264 Preset: Vimeo 1080p Full HD
4. Get feedback from your teacher, youth media producer and a friend. Revisit your timeline, make fixes and finalize the piece. This takes multiple rounds!

STEP 11: LISTEN TO FEEDBACK AND REVISE YOUR VIDEO AND SCRIPT

Estimated time to complete step: Three days to one week

1. Edit your final cut with the suggestions
2. Export a final cut. Format: H.264 Preset: Vimeo 1080p Full HD
3. Update your script
4. CELEBRATE! You’re done!

EXAMPLE OF DESIRED COMPOSITION FOR RAPID RESPONSES:

Looking at the camera, centered, from the chest up, eyes on upper third, normal headroom.

USE/DOWNLOAD: SRL RAPID RESPONSES SKILLS AND STANDARDS CHECKLIST

Engineering Design Challenge – From Concept to Creation:

Students can design a simplified model or blueprint of an engineering project that they want in their school that integrates both local and global perspectives. They might use digital tools or hands-on materials to build prototypes.

Directions:

Students will create a 5-7 minute video documenting your team’s journey as you design an engineering project for your school that integrates both local needs and global innovations. Your video should capture every stage of the design process—from problem identification and research to prototype creation and final presentation—and include reflections on how global perspectives influenced your design choices.

Project Outline:

Step 1 (Pre-production): Introduction to the Problem:

1. Introduce your team and state the local problem or opportunity at your school you wish to address (e.g., energy efficiency, sustainable water management, enhanced accessibility).
2. Briefly explain how you’ve researched global projects (such as Netherland’s water management, Japan’s rail system, etc.) that inspired your ideas.

Step 2 - Brainstorming & Research:

1. Record a session where your team brainstorms potential solutions. Capture the discussion as you answer guiding questions:
   1. What local challenge do we want to solve?
   2. How have similar challenges been addressed internationally?
   3. What global trends or technologies can we integrate into our solution?
2. Include clips or screen recordings of digital research (websites, videos, articles) that show the global projects you explored.

Step 3 - Design Development:

1. Blueprint Creation: Document your process of sketching and developing a digital blueprint or physical model of your proposed project. Explain your design choices and how they reflect both local requirements and global innovations.
2. Tool Showcase: Show the digital tools or hands-on materials (cardboard, recycled items, LEGO, etc.) used to build your prototype.

Step 4 - Prototype Construction:

1. Record a fun time-lapse footage or sequential clips of your team constructing the prototype. Highlight key moments where you overcome challenges, modify design elements, or test different materials.
2. Include short interviews where team members discuss what worked, what didn’t, and how you adapted your design.

Step 5 - Final Presentation & Reflection:

1. Present your final design video to the class. Make sure to explain how your prototype addresses the local problem and incorporates global ideas.
2. Answer reflective questions such as:
   1. How did global research influence your design?
   2. What trade-offs did you face between ideal global solutions and practical local constraints?
   3. How would you improve your design further in the future?
3. Briefly mention any feedback received and how it contributed to optimizing your design.

Recording Guidelines:

1. Style & Quality: Use clear visuals, steady shots, and audible sound. If using digital tools, screen-record or capture your computer screen as needed.
2. Editing: Combine the footage into a cohesive video (total length: approximately 15–20 minutes). Include titles or captions to separate each section.
3. Team Involvement: Ensure every team member is featured, sharing their insights and reflections.

This challenge does not have an active deadline to submit to PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs. However, students are encouraged to publish their stories on their school/club/program website or through video/social platforms such as YouTube, Instagram or Twitter and tag Student Reporting Labs. Check with your teacher to find out instructions for class submissions.

FACEBOOK: /STUDENTREPORTINGLABS

TWITTER: @REPORTINGLABS

INSTAGRAM: @STUDENTREPORTINGLABS

TIKTOK: @REPORTINGLABS

This resource is part of the Global Education Toolkit and was made possible with support from the Longview Foundation.