Local chapters of the Professional Engineers of Oregon and Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon are holding a program Tuesday, Feb. 17, to encourage local students to pursue careers in engineering.

More than 90 students from up and down the coast have been invited to a dinner at the Red Lion Hotel in Coos Bay, a press release said. There they will get a chance to meet with professional engineers, to ask them questions and learn more about their respective fields.

“It will give them a personal insight into what this is all about,” said Dave Holman a civil engineer living in Port Orford. “It’s a well paying profession and it’s very satisfying.”

The event is part of Engineers Week, which is dedicated to raising public awareness of engineers’ positive contributions to quality of life. Engineers Week promotes recognition among parents, teachers and students of the importance of a technical education and a high level of math, science, and technology literacy, and also motivates youth to pursue engineering careers.

Ron Stuntzner, senior partner of Stuntzner Engineering and Forestry and a past member of the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying, will give the introduction talk. Presentations will follow from Oregon State University, Portland State University, Oregon Institute of Technology and Southwestern Oregon Community College. The buffet dinner is $14.75 per person, but students eat for free.