Fresruary 22, 2005
THE CADRE e@ 712
ON CAMPUS
UPEI Engineering Wins Atlantic Engineering Competition
Zak Kurylyk Contributor
While many UPEI students rushed to buy snacks for Superbowl Sunday, some were focused on another competition of their own. A team of engineering students from UPEI won the Atlantic Engineering Competition at Dalhousie University on Feb. 4.
Teams of engineering students from most Maritime universities travel to the Atlantic Engineering Competition each February, with the winner going to the national championships later in the winter. This year, four students from UPEI walked away with a first place finish.
Daniel Palmer, a second-year engineering student from UPEI, said his team felt confident going into the competition this time, especially since the competition was lighter.
“We knew we had a good chance. With only nine teams entered, it was anybody’s game,” he said.
Teammate Caleb Curtis agreed. Palmer and Curtis were both members of a team that competed at last year’s AEC in Moncton, but failed to win any prizes. Curtis felt the team had potential going into the competition this year, though.
“T was pretty confident going in this year,” said Curtis. “We had a well- rounded team with all kinds of sweet skills.”
Curtis and Palmer also had engineering students Gabriel Landry and Hannah Sutherland on board their team this year.
Curtis also felt the competition was more organized than last year’s showdown in Moncton.
“Dal did a really good job. Teams stuck to the rules, as opposed to the chaos that killed us last year,” he said.
The competition required students. to make a vehicle from various junk material that would propel itself forward off a table.
“Tt had to move 3 feet to reach the end of the table, from only its own energy, and then somehow make it to the ground,” said Palmer. “Once on the ground, whoever moved the farthest received the most points for that part of the competition. We were also graded based on our presentation, cost, and application of engineering fundamentals.”
None of the other contestants’ entries came close to beating his team’s project, said Curtis. He admitted, though, that luck was a big part of their win.
win
“While the other entrants displayed a severe lack of motive power ours couldn’t get it all to the ground.” “We also witnessed a bit of providence when our heavy wing structure broke free at exactly the right moment, allowing us to roll to the
Palmer pointed out that only two other teams passed the minimum 12- inch point required to qualify to win the competition. His team’s project traveled 63 inches, and the closest competitor only traveled 44 inches.
Curtis and Palmer both praised the other UPEI team’s efforts, saying it was a well-designed project.
“The ‘Spruce Goose’ was a valiant effort. Callahan and Co. Really stuck their necks out there,” said Curtis. “I thought they had a good chance, but things started to go afoul when their balloon-propulsion system went south.”
While the competition isn’t particularly financially rewarding (contestants from the wining team had to split $500), it gives the winners a shot at the Canadian Engineering Championship competition. The UPEI team already has their plane tickets, and are working on acquiring the rest of the funding needed for the trip to Montreal through corporate sponsorship. The group may also run a fundraising event at UPEI to help pay for the trip.
Curtis said the win at Dalhousie should give UPEI’s image a much- needed boost, in view of recent media blitzes on the campus.
“This is the kind of good press that UPEI really needs right now. It’s no secret that the engineering program at UPEI has suffered from chronic underfunding for many years now. The faculty seems to ignore the fact that the engineering graduates of today are the top earners, and benefactors, of tomorrow.
“Despite the lack of adequate lab facilities, the quality of education that UPEI provides in the first three years of a degree is the envy of many Maritime engineering programs. I think our placement in this years competition reflects that.”
Palmer and Curtis both plan on returning to the competition next year.
“This was mine and Caleb’s second year. We'll definitely be going to UNB next year for our third competition,” said Palmer.
Need help finding a summer job?
Finding summer employment can be very challenging and at times frustrating for students. However, we are here to help! As Summer Employment Officers working at the Service Canada Centre for Youth, we have the tools and resources needed to assist you in finding that job you’ve always wanted.
One of the keys to finding summer employment is starting your search early, as some employers start their hiring as soon as December. We have information.on how to apply for employment with the federal and provincial governments, as well as many other jobs. If you have a question about how to apply for a certain job, ask us! .
We offer many free services in our office including assistance with résumé and cover letter writing, tips for interview preparation, job search strategies, how to properly market yourself, and information on finding career related summer jobs. Everything that you need in your search for summer employment can be found at your local Service Canada Centre for Youth!
Being students ourselves, we understand the challenges that come with finding meaningful summer employment. We are here to answer any summer employment questions you have.
Service Canada Centres for Youth open in early May in Charlottetown, Summerside, Montague, Souris and O’Leary.
Please feel free to contact us before then if you require any assistance in your search for summer employment.
For more information, call (902) cheryl.carr@servicecanada.gc.ca, or visit youth.gc.ca.
368-0096,
_ Here are a few job leads:
Do you want to work as a bilingual Summer Employment Officer this summer? ;
We have two bilingual positions open in our Summerside office. For more information, or to register in the inventory, visit http: //www.jobs- emplois.gc.ca/fswep-pfete/student/dp_012_e.htm. We will be requesting referrals from the Public Service Commission within the coming weeks and intend to conduct interviews for the Summerside positions in February.
Do you want to work in the tourism industry this summer?
The Tourism Employment Showcase is taking place at the Holland College Tourism & Culinary Centre (4 Sydney St) February 28, 2006 (10 am - 5 pm). For more information, visit www.tiapei.pe.ca.
The 2006 Career Expo is taking place at the UPEI Sports Centre March 30- 31, 2006. For more information, visit http://www2.upei.ca/studentservices/ careers/html/lab_market_expo.php.
YEARBOOK
Grad Photos, Residence Photos, Society Photos All Photos _ the UPEI Nexus Committee would like to receive all your photos and include them in the 2006 Issue: to come out in September 2006
Grad Photos Due - May 11. 2006 (Drop off in Envelope at the Student Union, /nelude your name, hometown and faculty) All other photos anytime before June
Any questions e-mail: nexus@upeisu.com _or call 566-0708