SUU Engineering Week Heralds Ingenuity

Published: February 11, 2008 | Read Time: 4 minutes

Legendary aerospace scientist Theodore Von Karman once said, “Scientists study the world as it is; engineers create the world that has never been.” Southern Utah University will recognize such ingenuity as they join universities and professionals across the nation in celebrating National Engineering Week February 19-22, 2008.

Engineering Week is a national initiative to recognize the field’s impact on the modern lifestyle. According to Academic Enhancement Coordinator for SUU’s College of Computing, Integrated Engineering and Technology Natalie Burden, the hope is that an increasing awareness of the various opportunities available in the engineering field will translate into an increasing student interest in engineering as a profession. States Burden, “The life we know is impossible without the advancements that have been made by today’s engineers.”

At SUU, the week-long celebration is open to the public, offering many opportunities for learning and fun. Activities include small engineering contests each day, which are open to all local high school students in addition to the University’s own engineering students.

According to Burden, SUU's College of CIET encourages local teachers and parents to get young students involved in the week's contests, stating, "This is a great way to expose teens to the college engineering environment."

The celebration will culminate with a banquet on Monday, February 25 in SUU’s Starlight Room. Tickets are just $12 per person, and guests can mingle with administrators, faculty and students as the week’s event winners are all recognized for their creativity and skill.

The following is a schedule of events surrounding Engineering Week. All activities, sponsored by SUU’s College of Computing, Integrated Engineering and Technology, are open to local high school and SUU students. With no pre-registration requirements, participants are welcome to pick and choose which events suit their interests—however, many of the competitions require design and construction to be completed in advance.

BALSA BRIDGE COMPETITION
Tuesday, February 19, 10 a.m.
Technology Building, room 011
Bridges, constructed in advance, must not exceed a height of 24 inches and must be made strictly out of Balsa wood and Glue. All entries must meet a 12-inch span and 2.5-inch width requirement. To test, the bridges will be supported at both ends and loaded mid-span with weight until failure. The judging will be based on the lowest ratio of bridge weight-to-supported load weight. Registration for this contest will be open from 9-10 a.m.

PENNY FLOAT
Wednesday, February 20, 3 p.m.
Sharwan Smith Center, main hallway
Each contestant will be given one square sheet of aluminum foil, which they will then use to shape a floating structure. All materials will be provided. The winning entry will be the boat that floats the most pennies without sinking.

PINE WOOD DERBY
Wednesday, February 20, 4 p.m.
Sharwan Smith Center Living Room
Contestants should construct their vehicles at home, before the competition. Kits are optional and modifications are encouraged. All cars must remain on the track at all times during the race and must not interfere with other contestant’s vehicles. All entries must meet the following track requirements: 3-inch max width, 12-inch max length, 6-inch max height, 3/8-inch minimum bottom clearance. In addition, compressed or flammable substances are not permitted.

WATER ROCKETS
Thursday, February 21, 4 p.m.
Multipurpose Field
Rockets, which should be built in advance, must be constructed of standard 1-or 2-liter soda bottles. Metal and glass on any part of the rocket are strictly prohibited. For safety reasons, modification of the original soda bottle is not allowed. Rockets must not exceed a 4-foot maximum height. Rockets will be propelled using water and compressed air at 80 psi. Each contestant will fill his or her own bottle with the desired amount of water prior to launch. The launcher, water and compressed air will be provided on site. To ensure the rocket will fit the launcher, nozzles must not be modified.

EGG LAUNCH
Thursday, February 21, 4 p.m.
Multipurpose Field
Large-sized eggs will be provided and must be inserted on site. Egg devices, which must be constructed in advance, will be loaded into a catapult, which means each egg holding device must fit into a 12-inch cube. The winning device will be the one that is launched the farthest without the egg breaking.

MOTORIZED BOAT RACES
Friday, February 22, 3:30 p.m.
SUU Pool
Each boat, constructed in advance, must be self-propelled and must remain in the water at all times. Direct interaction with the boats will not be allowed once the race starts. All pieces of the boat must be firmly attached so they do not fall off in the pool. Additionally, no materials that may contaminate the pool are allowed. All entries must meet a 15-inch maximum width and 24-inch maximum length size requirement. All entries will be raced across the width of the pool.

---

Contact Information:

435-586-5400
Contact the Office of Marketing Communication