Students Build 128-Pound Replica Lego Diesel Engine During Horizons Conference [VIDEO]

ST. CLOUD - A group of students spent several hours building a 128-pound replica Lego diesel engine during the 24th annual Horizons Conference on Saturday.

The Horizons Conference aims to promote female participation in science, engineering, math and technology. The Lego Engine is seen as a fun way to get the students involved. Jennifer Struffert Abon was a mentor at the event, she says students were very engaged during the activity.

"The girls are spending loads of time with instruction manuals and with their mentors as well," Struffert Abon says.

Nearly 30,000 blocks are used for the project. The Lego engine is a replica of the Cummins QSK95 engine, a 95-liter, 4,000 horsepower diesel engine used in rail locomotives.

The mammoth creation goes to show that engineering can be a fun process.

"For me, it was huge to show them what a potential career could look like in engineering," Struffert Abon says.