FAU Receives Grant from the Florida Engineering Foundation
Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science received a $1,000 grant from the Florida Engineering Foundation (FEF) to support students competing in professional, society-sponsored design competitions.
Don Goddeau from the Florida Engineering Foundation presented the check to FAU’s Human Powered Submarine (HPS) Race Team, who accepted it on behalf of the College student clubs.
FAU’s Human Powered Submarine (HPS) Race Team is one of the five FAU teams to receive funds from FEF. Members of this team design and race submersibles that are propelled by the students themselves. With the competition taking place underwater, these races are a challenge of human “peddling” strength and endurance, as well as a test of putting academic theory into practice. The next competition will be held in summer 2012 in Gosport, Hampshire, UK and is sponsored by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), the Society for Underwater Technology, and QinetiQ.
The FEF grant will help fund the FAU Owls Racing Team as they design and build the next vehicle for the Formula SAE®, a competition sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers. Over 100 university teams from around the world attend the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. Students are asked to conceive, design, fabricate and race small formula-style race cars.
The Human Powered Vehicle will also benefit from FEF. Students designed and built a vehicle for everyday use, using engineering design principles to compete in the ASME international Human Powered Vehicle Challenge. Information gained from the competition is used to develop efficient human-powered transportation options in underdeveloped areas of the world.
The grant will help the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) FAU Student Chapter to participate in the Southeast Student Conference Concrete Canoe Competition. The Concrete Canoe Competition provides students with practical experience in applying engineering principles from the classroom to the real world. The event teaches students important leadership and project management skills, and showcases the versatility and durability of concrete as a building material. It is a contest of knowledge, creativity and stamina.
FEF funds will also help the Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) Team as they participate in the annual ASV competition held by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Foundation in June 2012 at the Founders Inn and Spa, Virginia Beach, VA. The RoboBoat competition is a student robotics challenge in which teams race autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) of their own design through an aquatic obstacle course.
May 17, 2012