News

February 25, 2009

How Would You Design A Bridge

The 20th Annual Southern Nevada Student Model Bridge Building contest will be held at the UNLV Thomas T. Beam Engineering Complex, Building B, Saturday, February 28, 2009.

This contest gives students the opportunity to apply scientific theories learned in the classroom by planning, designing and constructing an, engineering project to given specifications.

Using materials from an official kit, students must design and construct a wooden bridge according to the specifications for their division. The bridges will be weighed, tested, and scored by their efficiency, which is the load carried divided by bridge weight.

The contest scoring will be separated into elementary, middle school, and high school divisions. Prizes and trophies will be awarded to students in each division who design, build and test the model bridge with the highest efficiency.

The main goal of this contest, which is jointly sponsored by the Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation and the Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, is to promote interest in engineering and science.

Many past participants of the contest are currently enrolled in UNLV’s Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering.

For additional information about this event, please contact Paul Matuska at 702-293-8164 or pmatuska@lc.usbr.gov

Engineer a Difference.