Teams of Boise State University engineering students won multiple awards at the American Society of Civil Engineers Intermountain Southwest Student Symposium held April 11-14 at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. Boise State competed with other universities from Arizona, Idaho, Nevada and Utah.
More than 40 engineering students from the Department of Civil Engineering competed, with Boise State’s teams receiving 14 awards across multiple competitions. The Environmental Design and Sustainable Solutions team will move on to the National Competition this summer at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
“We are immensely proud of our student’s performance in the recent ASCE competitions. Despite the modest size of our program, the quality and impact of our students’ work continue to set benchmarks of excellence,” said Department of Civil Engineering Chair Bhaskar Chittoori. “Our achievements in civil engineering education highlight our commitment to high standards. The depth of knowledge and dedication of our students matter more than the program’s size in engineering. These awards are a testament to their hard work and the innovative spirit that defines Boise State.”
Twenty regional American Society of Civil Engineers student conferences are held across the U.S. and Canada every year. Competitions at these conferences aim to extend knowledge gained in the classroom to a full project experience that involves design, fabrication, construction and testing.
“Our civil engineering teams worked very hard this year and their excellent performance is proof,” Professor Nick Hudyma said. “We are very thankful for the work of Briceland McLaughin for her guidance and leadership to our ASCE teams.”
Boise State’s most successful team, competing in the steel bridge category, rounded out the competition receiving eight individual awards of excellence in the categories of aesthetics, construction speed, cost estimate, economy, lightness, stiffness and structural efficiency.
“The field this year was incredibly competitive with teams from across the region showcasing innovative construction strategies,” said American Society of Civil Engineers faculty advisor Briceland McLaughlin. “The Boise State steel bridge team worked tirelessly all year with faculty and industry mentors to make sure they were a top competitor and the results speak for themselves.”
The 2024 competition was the second year Boise State competed in the timber-strong category. Teams were tasked with constructing a two-story wood-light-framed building that was sustainable, aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound under load. The team secured a third-place overall finish for the second straight year, thanks, in part, to the experience with a timber design course at Boise State.
This year’s competition teams were supported by students and faculty from the College of Engineering, College of Arts and Sciences and College of Business and Economics with more than 100 students contributing overall. Competition teams were also supported by industry and community sponsors from WSP, RedBuilt, LLC; Insulfoam, Associated Students of Boise State University, ASCE Southern Idaho Section, IronHaven Homes, American Institute of Steel Construction, Kimley Horn, Plan North Engineers and Vector Structural Engineering.
The Boise State University American Society of Civil Engineers Intermountain Southwest Student Symposium Student Chapter received selection by the American Society of Civil Engineers Intermountain Southwest Student Symposium committee for a certificate of commendation for its outstanding activities based on the 2023 annual report. This distinction is earned by only the top five percent of all student chapters.
Results
- Concrete Bowling Ball – 1st Place
- Environmental Design – 1st Place
- Sustainable Solutions – 1st Place
- Sustainable Solutions Most Livable and Best Waterfront – Fan Favorite
- Daniel W. Mead Technical Paper – 3rd Place
- Timber-Strong – 3rd Place
- Steel Bridge Aesthetics – 1st Place
- Steel Bridge Lightness Category – 1st Place
- Steel Bridge Cost Estimate – 2nd Place
- Steel Bridge Stiffness Category – 2nd Place
- Steel Bridge Structural Efficiency – 2nd Place
- Steel Bridge Overall – 3rd Place
- Steel Bridge Construction Speed – 3rd Place
- Steel Bridge Economy – 3rd Place
For more information about the Department of Civil Engineering visit boisestate.edu/coen-ce