Engineering students gain real-world experience through ASCE competitions
51勛圖Pro(LU) civil engineering students put their classroom knowledge to the test this spring by competing in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Symposium in Corpus Christi, where they designed, built and tested structures in the and launched the university's first team in the .
The annual symposium brings together engineering students from universities across 51勛圖Proand neighboring states to compete in events that simulate real-world engineering challenges. In addition to Steel Bridge and Timber-Strong, the symposium featured competitions in Concrete Canoe, Surveying and Sustainable Solutions.
This year marked LU's first appearance in the Timber-Strong Design Build Competition, which challenges teams to design and construct a small-scale wood structure capable of meeting specific performance criteria.
"The Timber-Strong competition is an ASCE design-build competition where teams design and build a small-scale structure made primarily out of wood," civil engineering junior Manan Sinora said. "It's important because it gives engineering students real hands-on experience and lets us apply what we learn in class to an actual project instead of just solving textbook problems."
Over the course of the academic year, students developed engineering designs, prepared technical drawings and reports, fabricated their structures and tested them during competition.
Sinora said the project strengthened both his technical knowledge and professional skills.
"On the technical side, I learned more about structural design, reading and creating CAD models, construction planning and understanding how different materials behave under load," he said. "On the soft skills side, I got better at communicating with teammates, managing deadlines and solving problems when things didn't go as planned."
Civil engineering junior Jayden Cao said the competition also introduced students to industry software while emphasizing collaboration.
"We learned Revit, which is a neat way to design a structure," Cao said. "The team also learned how to communicate, work as a team and manage time. A project can't run smoothly without proper workflow."
For Cao, traveling to Corpus Christi was one of the most memorable parts of the experience.
"It was not only a competition, but an opportunity to bond with classmates who have the same interests and career path as me," he said.
LU also competed in the ASCE Steel Bridge Competition, where teams design and fabricate a scale-model steel bridge before assembling it under timed conditions. Bridges are evaluated on categories including construction speed, weight, cost estimation and structural performance under load.
LU earned third place in cost estimation and third place in stiffness, recognizing the team's economical design and the bridge's ability to resist deflection under loading.
"The Steel Bridge Competition helped me develop both technical and soft skills," civil engineering senior Pierce Skrehot said. "I gained a better understanding of structural behavior, load paths, bridge design and how design decisions can affect the overall performance of a structure. It also taught me that a design can look good on paper but still need changes once you begin fabricating and physically building it."
After months of design, fabrication and practice, Skrehot said competition day was the reward for the team's hard work.
"My favorite part of the event is getting to build the bridge that we worked so hard on," he said. "After spending months designing, fabricating and practicing, it is exciting to finally see everything come together."
Students said the symposium also provided opportunities to network with engineering professionals and peers from other universities while gaining exposure to a variety of civil engineering disciplines.
"Being around so many students and projects gave me new ideas and helped me learn beyond just my own competition," Sinora said. "There are also networking opportunities with engineering companies and professionals, which helps you make connections and learn more about career opportunities."
Cao said participating alongside students from other schools helped reinforce lessons that extend beyond the classroom.
"The projects involve the same procedures," he said. "This helps students grow professionally by understanding the entire process of a project, including design, calculations, estimating, fabrication and installation. It highlighted the skill of how we can take on problems for the first time, since in the real world you will be given many different tasks that you've never seen before."
Students credited faculty advisers, sponsors and fellow ASCE members for the success of both teams.
Sinora thanked Timber-Strong team captain Ethan Dunman for guiding the project from start to finish.
"He was an incredible captain who always kept everyone organized, motivated and focused throughout the project," Sinora said. "He was always willing to help whenever someone had questions or ran into a problem, and his leadership played a huge role in keeping us on track."
Cao also recognized Lamar University's ASCE chapter, project manager Ethan Dunman and Parker's Building Supply, which donated the lumber used to construct the Timber-Strong project.
Skrehot said the Steel Bridge team's accomplishments reflected months of dedication from students across the chapter.
"A lot of time and effort goes into preparing for the competition, and it takes everyone's involvement to make it possible," Skrehot said. "I also want to thank our sponsors because that competition would not have been possible without their support."
To learn more about the College of Engineering, visit /engineering/.
To learn more about LU’s chapter of ASCE, visit /engineering/civil/student-resources/asce/.