The Abridged Version of the April 1999
Seattle Section Newsletter

 

PRESIDENT'S COLUMN

by Steve Hart

This past month has been very busy for our Section. The Engineering Fair was held on February 26th and 27th and was well attended. The featured event at the fair was the Popsicle Stick Bridge Contest, which brought in a couple hundred high school students from the Puget Sound Region. When I arrived at the start of the contest at the Seattle Center's Center House, many Section members were on hand providing support. This event is so exciting that even the 8-year old son of one of our Board members even chose to attend this contest on his Birthday. The designs of over 25 bridges were tested for strength, with some bridges buckling under as low as 35 pounds and the sturdiest bridge carrying over 1,500 pounds! For next year, the students from Olympic High School have their goal of designing a bridge that can carry 2,000 pounds. On that same Saturday, the Puget Sound Engineering Council (PSEC Banquet) held on the 100th level of the Space Needle reportedly had 17 Section members at attendance. They enjoyed the program, which included a talk by Roy Morse.

The Pacific Northwest Council (PNC) held its conference in Seattle on March 11th - 13th. PNC is comprised of delegates from the Pacific Northwest sections of ASCE. This body provides the voice at the grass routes level to speak to our National Board of Direction through our Director and from written resolutions. For example this council has spoken out against the concept of the Master's Degree as being the first professional degree for licensing. Other resolutions that were passed recommended the following to ASCE:

  1. Budget the 150th Year Celebration so that money is spent on activities that the bulk of membership can be involved in (e.g. traveling exhibits, videos for the use at section activities, etc.) rather than on gala events that serve only a limited location.
  2. Study issues surrounding campaigning to provide guidelines for candidates from all sectors of employment.
  3. Develop an ASCE position paper for the public and decision-makers that address Snake and Columbia River Dam Removal.
  4. Develop a strategy for international members that do not result in an increase in cost to members residing in the United States.
  5. Suspend or reduce in scope conferences and conventions open to the membership that lose money three out of the most recent five years.

Susan Gardner was on the resolution committee that did a great job in drafting these resolutions for PNC's consideration.

A significant development coming out of the PNC meeting is the concept of adding a New Director Representative to District 12. Presently, our District only has one Director, who needs to travel from Alaska to Oregon and east to Montana. With an additional Director representative, the Seattle Section should be able to see a National Director more frequently at Section Board Meetings and other special events. Another significant development is in the process on electing a qualified Director. Presently, with only one National Director in District 12 and with eight sections, Directors are elected on a rotational basis from each Section. With a 3-year term, Seattle can only provide a Director from its membership pool only once every 24 years, even though we represent a third of the membership within PNC. With smaller sections, sometime there isn't an interest within that section to put forward a candidate, which can lead to unqualified or disinterested Directors. At the next PNC meeting this coming September, I am on the planning committee to draft language that will give individuals interested in running for a National Director greater opportunity. The idea is to create a larger pool of qualified candidates, which appears to have a consensus within all the PNC sections. The draft plan will likely open up the office to the Seattle Section's membership every three years instead of the present 24-year cycle, but probably with the caveat that one section could not have back to back Directors in consecutive years.

If you have any ideas for me on the election of National Directors within Section 12, or if you have any comments on PNC resolutions recently passed, please send me an e-mail at shart@rwbeck.com.
 

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival ASCE Meeting
DEADLINE EXTENDED !!

Join the North Branch for the second annual Tulip Tour. Don't miss this opportunity! Not only is it a gorgeous venue, it essentially requires only that you sit back and relax. A bus takes you to the destination as you are wined and dined (with hors d'oevres). Not only do you get to see several tulip fields, but you learn about the amazing world of tulip engineering: learn about mother and daughter tulips, bulb shipment, hi-tech greenhouses, the challenges that the agriculture community faces and much more. It is a highly entertaining trip. It culminates in Salmon dinner at a rustic park facility. Afterwards, the bus returns you to your car. Celebrate spring, making the IRS deadline, and with our North Branch colleagues. RSVP to Susan Gardner.

Date/time: April 15th (3:00pm till 9:30pm)
Meet at south end parking lot of Northgate P&R.
Cost: $30. (Salmon dinner)
Questions can be directed to Susan Gardner (206-389-0291) or Bob Boudinot at 360-336-5751
 

Fourth Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Building Competition

On Saturday, February 27, approximately 2000 spectators, 300 participating high school students, 45 volunteers, celebrity judges, media professionals, engineering week exhibitors, and practicing engineers convened at the Center House at the Seattle Center for the Fourth Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Building Competition. It was indeed a smashing success. While the event itself lasted a mere four hours, this practical hands on engineering experience produced lifelong memories not only for the high school students, but all the volunteers, practicing engineers, media professionals, and sponsoring companies who played a key role in the success of this year's competition.

Since September 1998, the Associate Member Forum (AMF) of ASCE has been busy planning the event under the direction of PSB coordinator Aeli Kim (Lin & Associates). Between October, 1998 and January, 1999, young practicing AMF engineers visited schools throughout Puget Sound to discuss engineering careers, promote the contest, explain the rules, and offer bridge building tips. School visits are a key part of the total experience as students have the opportunity to interact with a young practicing engineer. Each school may submit up to two five-member teams.

The Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Building Competitions are designed to promote engineering careers among high school students through a practical hands-on experience. Students learn the importance of making efficient use of Popsicle sticks and white Elmer glue to design a strong and aesthetically pleasing structure conforming to strict dimension, weight, and assembly specifications. For example, the 24 to 30" long bridges cannot exceed 400 grams, no stick may be more than 50% laminated, I-beams and box beams are not permitted, and T-beams are only permitted in the roadway. Awards are given for the strongest and most aesthetically pleasing bridge. This year a "best guess" category was also added to test the students' engineering estimating skills.

Contest day provides students with many additional outstanding learning opportunities. Students get to directly see how bridges are strength tested under a hydraulic loading press. Once bridges are broken, students have the opportunity to meet with AMF consultants to discuss failure modes and strategies for improving next year's design. The Center House is filled with numerous engineering exhibits as this event is held in conjunction with National Engineers Week. This year a table was added where students could discuss college and engineering work with engineering students and young practicing engineers.

While all 26-student teams were winners through their demonstrated hard work, dedication, innovation, and ingenuity, special recognition goes to both Olympic High School teams (Silverdale). Their bridges held 1582 lbs. and 1428 lbs. taking first and second place respectively, and both beating their last years winning bridge that held 1278 lbs. (over Henry Foss' national record breaker of 1180 pounds the year before). Shorecrest High School came in third place this year with their bridge that held 504 lbs. Shorecrest, Shorewood, and Mt Tahoma High School took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively in the aesthetics competition. Congratulations to all 26 teams for a job well done.

The numerous volunteers, celebrity judges, sponsors, engineering professionals, and media personnel not only make the contest such a success, and they play a huge role in the lives of tomorrow's engineers. AMF is extremely grateful for such outstanding support. While the names of all the assistants are too numerous to mention, they all deserve special recognition. AMF would like to especially recognize Bijan Khalegi (Washington State DOT Bridge Department), Joe Colcord (UW Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering), and Richard Miller (SeaTrans Director of Roadway Structures) for serving as Aesthetics Judges. Tim Lane (King County Bridge Dept), Audrey Moreland (Parsons Brinckerhoff), and Art Borst (Parsons Brinckerhoff) served as Technical Judges. Special thanks also goes to Seattle Public Utilities for providing the testing machine and the Seattle Center for providing the facility. AMF also wishes to thank the following sponsors for their gracious financial support. Berger / Abam, D'Amato Conversano, Dames & Moore, EA Engineering, Golder Associates, Hammond Collier Wade Livingston, Herrera, Kato & Warren, KPFF, Lin & Associates, Structural Engineers Association of Washington, Shannon & Wilson, Skilling Ward Magnussen Barkshire, CH2M Hill, and Fred Kern (individual). Finally, special recognition goes to PSB coordinator Aeli Kim for the hard work, diligence, and dedication she showed in orchestrating the efforts of numerous professionals.

Again, congratulations to all the student teams for their outstanding performance. Thank you to everyone who played a key role in making this event such a success. We look forward to seeing you all next year.

-David M. Schwegel, Transportation Engineer Transportation Planning & Engineering, Inc.

 

CONTINUING EDUCATION AT NORTH BRANCH

On May 5, 1999 Dr. Rich Horner of UW will be providing continuing education to the North Branch. The subject will be Stormwater Best Management Practices. Seattle Section Members can email Timothy Lowry at timothylowry@home.com if they are interested in attending.
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