The USC Viterbi School of Engineering and the National Academy of Engineering Launch New Social Media News Series

USC Viterbi and NAE | February 22, 2023

New Show to Highlight Weekly Stories of Notable Engineering Figures and Feats in Minutes

The Circuit LogoThe USC Viterbi School of Engineering (USC Viterbi) and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) are launching “The Circuit,” a weekly social-forward news network dedicated to promoting engineering to the public. The program will launch during “National Engineers Week” on Thursday, February 23, 2023 which is “Introduce A Girl to Engineering Day.”

Building on messaging strategies noted in publications such as the NAE’s “Changing the Conversation,” “Messaging for Engineering,” and “Raising Public Awareness of Engineering,” as well as the recently released “Messages Matter” from DiscoverE, “The Circuit” uses an innovative, non-traditional way to inform the public of the creativity, wonder and value of engineering, and the role engineers play in creating our future.

Currently, 53% of Americans receive their news via social media. Thus, weekly episodes of “The Circuit” will be posted on mainstay social media including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube each Thursday morning.  “The Circuit” will be hosted by Emmy-nominee Omar Lewis, now senior digital producer at USC Viterbi, and will celebrate the technologies and engineering innovations that reshape our world to make it better. It will highlight leading engineers, cutting-edge technologies and will be sharing expert analyses on the latest developments in technology. It will also feature leading influencers in the realm of engineering and technology.

Sponsored in part by the United Engineering Foundation and produced by the NAE and USC Viterbi, “The Circuit” is based on the social-forward Viterbi News Network (VNN), believed to be one of the first social-media specific news shows by an engineering school.

Yannis C. Yortsos, dean of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and a member of the NAE, said: “It is important to keep changing the conversation about engineering, which is the enabling discipline of our times, with a tremendous positive impact in creating a better world for all. This social media-focused program will reach people wherever they are and however they get their news.”

“Social media was created and is made possible by engineering, making it the perfect vehicle to celebrate engineering achievements and engage diverse audiences in conversations about engineering,” said NAE President John L. Anderson. “Our goal is to show through exciting visuals and engaging content, the myriad ways in which engineers and engineering are making positive impacts on our society—both nationally and globally,” Anderson added.

Episodes can be viewed weekly at @CircuitNewsTV on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube for links directly to these accounts, please visit Linktr.ee/thecircuitnews

About the United Engineering Foundation

The United Engineering Foundation Inc. (UEF) is the successor organization to the United Engineering Society (UES) which was founded in 1904 with the generous support of Andrew Carnegie. The members of the UEF are the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers (AIME), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

About the National Academy of Engineering

Founded in 1964, the U.S. National Academy of Engineering is a private, independent, nonprofit institution that provides engineering leadership in service to the nation. Its mission is to advance the welfare and prosperity of the nation by providing independent advice on matters involving engineering and technology, and by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and public appreciation of engineering.

About USC Viterbi School of Engineering

Founded in 1905, the USC Viterbi School of Engineering was named in 2004 as the Andrew and Erna Viterbi School of Engineering. Located in Los Angeles, a global center for arts, technology, business and innovation in the heart of the Pacific Rim, USC Viterbi enrolls undergraduate and graduate students from all over the world. With more than 10,000 students, 300 faculty across all ranks and appointment levels, and more than 30 in-residence or affiliated members of the National Academies, USC Viterbi is among the national leaders in engineering education and research. By advocating the enabling power of engineering through its Engineering+ mindset, the school helps re-imagine the 21st century engineer, by pioneering the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenge Scholars Program, leading national efforts in enhancing diversity, and changing the conversation about engineering. With its vision of engineering a better world for all humanity, USC Viterbi embodies the power of engineering to advance discovery and solutions across all disciplines, to serve California, the nation and the world.

Published on February 22nd, 2023

Last updated on February 23rd, 2023

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