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cuaengineer Steel Bridge Competition Tests Students’ Mettle by Chris Scotti, B.C.E. 2010 In deciding to compete in the ASCE Steel Bridge Competition sponsored by the American Society of Engineers, the team from The Catholic University of America seemed to face insurmountable odds. With no returning members, the team had no experience with the inner workings of the competition. It had no metalworking shop suitable for construction of the bridge. The contest’s 67 pages of rules were accompanied by an equal number of pages of amendments. The budget was tight, with no established sponsors. Finally, the team had to work feverishly to meet the looming deadline. But when the odds are unfavorable, you stand up and fight. Eager junior civil engineering students Chris Scotti and Chris Ridgeway took on the task with vigor and determination. “It was something I have always been interested in,” says Scotti. “When Dr. Lucko told Ridgeway and me that the club had no leadership and was not participating that year, we jumped at the opportunity.” The two co-captains recruited a diverse collection of civil and mechanical engineering students, as well as English and politics majors, to aid them in their mission to compete in the 2009 Regional Competition in Virginia Beach. That diversity brought a wide variety of skills, talents and knowledge to the otherwise inexperienced team. “We had no idea what to expect and what challenges we faced. Every person brought something unique, something we would eventually need,” says Ridgeway. The steel bridge competition is an annual event involving engineering students from hundreds of universities who design, construct and assemble a 1/10th-scale bridge made entirely of steel. The goal is to design and fabricate a steel bridge that is lightweight, stiff enough to support 2,500 lbs., and quick to assemble in competition. Teams compete regionally, with the top three winners moving on to the nationals. The co-captains approached the competition as a real-world project, establishing a schedule and a budget, delegating responsibilities and duties, holding regular meetings and evaluating progress. Working closely with Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering Scott Mathews, Ph.D., they renovated a section of the McCarthy Building into an OSHA-compliant welding shop. Team members experienced in working with metal educated the others. While designing and redesigning the initial bridge, the team searched for and found steel and tool providers. Balancing coursework, sports and social lives, the team still spent countless hours in computer labs and the metal shop, committed to what became known as The Bridge. The process was grueling. Delays and changes to the design caused the construction time to run longer than expected; the team had a little over a week to practice construction and make the final aesthetic touches. Travelling to Virginia Beach for the conference, the team was less than confident. “We wanted to construct the bridge in under 30 minutes. At that point our best time was about 34,” says Scotti. With adrenaline, a little rehearsal, and their smooth functioning as a team, they managed to construct the bridge in just over 27 minutes. Out of 11 competing teams, CUA’s bridge was one of only four that held the entire 2,500 lb. load, with the total deflection measure 1.6 inches over 3 points. That put them in 4th place out of 11 competing teams, one place out of a trophy position. But their accomplishment did not go unrecognized, with congratulations coming in from faculty, students and staff in the School of Engineering and across campus. What’s next With this positive experience under their belts, the team is looking forward to next year’s competition and the new challenges it will bring. The CUA Steel Bridge Team in action at the 2009 ASCE competition. 8 | cuaengineer
cuaengineer Wall of Fame Unveiled The Catholic University of America School of Engineering proudly unveiled the newly instituted Wall of Fame, on Oct. 9, 2008. The wall was created to recognize CUA engineering alumni with excellent credentials, who also have established national reputations and reached the pinnacle of their careers. The ceremony included approximately 100 Catholic University faculty, staff, students and alumni who watched as Matthew Burns, chairman of the School of Engineering Executive Development Board, revealed the beautifully engraved Corian stone wall. The inaugural inductee was Michael Griffin, former NASA administrator, who was named in April 2008, prior to the wall’s completion. He was specifically recognized for extraordinary achievement in space research and exploration. Griffin received his M.S.E. in 1974 from CUA. Three additional honorees were inducted during the unveiling ceremony in October. Paul Gaffney, M.S.E. 1970, current president of Monmouth University in West Long Branch, N.J., and former president of the National Defense University located in Southwest Washington, D.C., was recognized for exemplary contributions to national security and higher education. Michael Michalak, M.S.E. 1973, presently (From left) U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam M. Michalak, Dean C. Nguyen, Former CEO of Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority J. Wilding and Monmouth University President P. Gaffney. serving as United States Ambassador to Vietnam, was acknowledged for a lifelong career in foreign service. He was sworn in as ambassador on Aug. 10, 2007, having previously served as the U.S. senior official to A.P.E.C., Bureau of East Asia Pacific Affairs. James Wilding, B.C.E. 1959, former president/ CEO of Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority, was recognized for exceptional leadership in the aviation industry. Wilding, who attended the ceremony with his wife, Marcella, also serves on the school’s Civil Engineering Advisory Council. The Engineering Alumni Homecoming Luncheon in Pangborn Hall’s Scullen Room followed the ceremony. Reinstituting NSBE at CUA by Adrian Davis, B.E.E. 2011 The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) was founded in 1975 at Purdue University by Edward Barnette and Fred Cooper, who wanted “to increase the number of culturally responsible Black Engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.” NSBE began with with six inaugural members; now NSBE members in number more than 30,000 in more than 233 chapters on college and university campuses, 65 alumni extension chapters nationwide and 89 precollege chapters. Now CUA has its own chapter of NSBE, reactivated in February 2009. The student-run organization consists of 10 members, with goals to enhance the leadership skills of members and to ensure they succeed academically and professionally through activities and events directed toward their selfenhancement. In addition, CUA chapter strives to increase the number of minority students studying engineering at the undergraduate and graduate levels and promote public awareness of engineering and the opportunities for blacks and other minorities in that profession. We are optimistic about the future. We hope through the deep history of NSBE to gain knowledge that will help members develop an intense desire to achieve success in this competitive society and to influence a positive change in the quality of life for all people. Our members will participate in community service projects that will help inform middle school and high school students of the many opportunities to become an engineer. The future of the National Society of Black Engineers at CUA is unlimited. As the NSBE chapter at CUA grows, we will obtain and maintain a stable foundation through intelligent students, a wide variety of intellectually stimulating projects and events, and most important, the world of engineering. With the support and dedication of its members and supporters, NSBE at CUA will reach its potential and be active at for years to come. Members of the CUA National Society of Black Engineers Chapter. fall2009 | 9
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