4-15-2024

Montana Tech ASCE Club competes in Vancouver

The Montana Tech American Society of Civil Engineers Chapter (ASCE) competed in the concrete canoe and steel bridge competition at the Pacific Northwest ASCE Student Symposium on April 6-7, 2024, in Vancouver, Canada.

The ASCE club competed in both the steel bridge and concrete canoe competitions. 

The Student Steel Bridge Competition challenges students to extend their classroom knowledge to a practical and hands-on steel-design project that grows their interpersonal and professional skills, encourages innovation, and fosters impactful relationships between students and industry professionals. Each student team develops a concept for a scale-model steel bridge to span approximately 20 feet and to carry 2,500 pounds according to the competition rules. The team must determine how to fabricate their bridge and then plan for an efficient assembly under timed construction conditions at the competition. Bridges are also load-tested, weighed, and judged on aesthetics.

Since the early 1970s, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) student chapters have competed to be the best at designing, constructing, and racing concrete canoes. During that time, canoe mixtures and designs have varied, but the long-established tradition of teamwork, camaraderie, and spirited competition has been constant. Each year, teams, their associates, judges, and other participants build upon this tradition. This year, teams answered a call for Technical Proposals and Enhanced Focus Area Reports and are competing to be the winning bid on a prototype standardized canoe design for future concrete canoe competitions.

“Both competitions offer students a unique opportunity to advance their engineering proficiency, cultivate leadership aptitude, and nurture collaborative teamwork,” said Liping Jiang, associate professor and department head of civil engineering. “We are actively seeking participation from students across all disciplines for next year's competitions in Portland." 

This year’s competitions saw teams from University of Washington, University of Alaska Anchorage, Oregon State University, University of Portland, Seattle University, University of Idaho, University of British Columbia, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Portland State University, Montana State University, Gonzaga University, and Carroll College. 

Montana Tech's ASCE club has over 30 official members, but many other students in a variety of majors attend club events.

This year's competition team included 15 members who worked on the projects throughout the year, and 13 traveled to the competition. 

"The concrete canoe and steel bridge teams worked hard all year designing and constructing our projects and fundraising enough money to attend the competition,” said Avery Londo, ASCE president and civil engineering student. “We enjoyed the competition and are leaving with many ideas for next year's comp!" 

Students interested in joining ASCE can find out more by visiting www.mtech.edu.