There are billions of people on earth, and the human population is growing. Our society is becoming more and more dependent on future engineers. Dream Big: Engineering Our World follows several different engineers and links them all back to one idea – the future is in our youth.
Dream Big is forty-five minutes of STEM-cheerleading, encouraging children to test ideas, build, and, of course, dream with no limits. Each story has its own heartwarming twist, which makes the underlying message of “We need more Da Vinci and less Kardashian” more palatable.
Standard scenes flash across The Dome (the largest screen in Virginia), covering some projects that have been in the works for a while. Cities will grow, installing towering buildings that are more disaster-proof. Along with the basic points, the movie explores tragic earthquakes in Nepal and poverty in Haiti – topics and circumstances that can be easier to sweep under the rug as they tend to not affect us personally.
During these moments, I offered my hand to my little brother (three), but he was ignorant to the severity of these issues and told me he was fine. That said, beautiful landscape images spread across the large screen keep most toddlers attentive, but the theme of the movie is aimed toward children eight and up and is an easy watch for tweens and teens.
The film does a good job showing diversity in the engineering field, and that money doesn’t always mean success. At one point, Avery Bang, an engineer who works building bridges in Haiti, reveals a powerful lesson. She explains how when she adds local construction workers to her team, there is a ripple effect. More surrounding society members are inspired to help. Which, if you are like me and have no plans to become an engineer, explains why it’s important for all of us to help our growing community.
Dream Big: Engineering Our World starts in outer space looking down at Earth, but leaves you eager to innovate within our own atmosphere. I went home moved to get out the toolbox. All of the attendees left asking bigger questions. It was a nice wind-down after a day in the sun, and it is one screen you can feel guiltless sticking your child in front of. After watching this latest release, the attitude of anything-is-possible sticks with viewers long after leaving the The Dome at the Science Museum of Virginia.
Dream Big: Engineering Our World is showing in The Dome through Labor Day at the Science Museum of Virginia. For tickets and showtimes, visit Science Museum of Virginia.
