In the educational film Dream Big: Engineering Our World, now showing at Orlando Science Center, Menzer Pehlivan narrates how she survived an earthquake in Turkey as a child. She wanted to help prevent future tragedies on that scale, and as a result, she became a geotechnical engineer.
To teach others about what it means to be an engineer and inspire future engineers to follow their dreams, Pehlivan will be visiting Orlando Science Center on Saturday, June 24, to give a presentation at 2 p.m. about her experiences with the film. She will also introduce showings of Dream Big at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.
Meet Menzer Pehlivan
As a geotechnical engineer, Menzer has worked on numerous geotechnical and earthquake projects in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. She has given back as a volunteer in major earthquake reconnaissance efforts. Menzer currently works in the Seattle office of CH2M, a global engineering firm that provides consulting, design and construction services for corporations and government.
She recalls meeting one young student while filming Dream Big who could not believe her appearance.
“This little girl was looking at my heels and hair and she asked, ‘Are you sure you’re an engineer? You’re not just an actress playing an engineer?’ She said, ‘I didn’t know engineers could look like you.’ I think this is something too many people misunderstand. You can be an engineer and wear heels and dresses and be a ‘girly girl.’ Or you can be the opposite. Anyone can be an engineer.”
See Dream Big on the giant screen
Whatever you think engineering is, you’ll probably think again as the award-winning filmmaking team at MacGillivray Freeman Films reveals not only the grandeur but the heart, humanity and optimism that exists within every problem-solving project.
Narrated by Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges, produced in partnership with the American Society of Civil Engineers and presented by Bechtel Corporation, DREAM BIG reveals how engineers have changed both everyday lives and entire societies: from the Roman Arch to the Great Wall of China, from one much-needed village bridge to the cosmic International Space Station. The film spans the globe because engineering is truly a universally shared need – from China and Nepal to Dubai, Australia and Haiti back to Seattle, San Francisco and Phoenix, Arizona, following a group of engineers from diverse backgrounds, each excited to ask in their own way: “What cool solutions can we come up with next?”
Menzer’s presentation, film screenings and activities are included with daily general admission to Orlando Science Center, which is free for members, $20.95 for adults, $18.95 for seniors and students, and $14.95 for youth (ages 3 – 11).
Discounts available for groups of 15 or more. For more information, visit osc.org/group-admission.
For more information, call (407) 514-2000 or visit www.osc.org/dream-big-engineer.
ABOUT ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER
Located in Orlando, Fla., interactive learning and discovery await within the Science Center’s hundreds of exhibits, programs, labs, films and planetarium shows. The Science Center provides educational opportunities both within and outside its walls including field trips, family science nights at schools and community centers, and other outreach.
Orlando Science Center's mission is to inspire science learning for life. The Science Center strives to create lasting impacts on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and develop the next generation of creative innovators. Fully accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Science Center ranks as one of the most popular museum destinations in the region. Having served more than half a million people in the past year alone, the Science Center offers rich resources for lifelong learning.
