ASCE is launching two new student competitions for the 2018-19 academic year.
The first, a Sustainable Solutions Competition, will reinforce the now-critical concept of sustainable design with a building project that promises to be challenging and fun: the construction of a sustainable doghouse.
Students will be presented with a problem statement and tasked with design and construction of a structure intended to enhance the quality of life for a 40-to-60-pound dog, without degrading the quantity, quality, or availability of natural, economic, and social resources to the best extent possible.
A second activity, the Blue Sky Competitions Contest, will engage students in innovative, outside-the-box thinking as they imagine and create innovative concept designs for future student competitions. The Competitions Contest will challenge students to identify and marry visionary ideas to address engineering challenges with demonstrable ideas for long-term student competitions, which will potentially influence the future of ASCE’s Student Conferences.
Final rules will be released Oct. 5.
ASCE’s Task Committee on Student Competitions has been developing the competitions over the last six weeks, after the American Institute of Steel Construction announced in late July the termination of its long-time partnership with ASCE for the National Student Steel Bridge Competition, effective immediately.
Both competitions have regional and national competition opportunities. Student Conference hosts who wish to include them in their 2019 conferences are encouraged to do so.
The Task Committee will continue to evaluate ASCE’s student competition landscape, exploring future opportunities for other competitions.
“The creation of these competitions on such short notice is a strong show of commitment to our students,” said ASCE President Kristina Swallow. “These competitions will be accessible to all students, helping them hone the skills that our profession demands, while encouraging them to think more deeply about sustainable engineering and other future challenges of the civil engineering industry.
“Meanwhile, the goals of the student conferences are still the same. Student conferences will continue to be the most important ASCE event of the school year, where are our students and student chapters from all around the globe can gather to network with each other and learn the technical, communications, and management skills that will help them as they transition from student to professional.”
The ASCE Committee on Student Members authored a Frequently Asked Questions document to help guide Student Chapters through the transition.
Get more information about these two new competitions or email ASCE Student Services with any questions.
