ASEE GRAND PRIX

THE 6TH Annual ASEE Model Design Competition was held on June 21, 2004, at the ASEE annual conference. This design/build competition is for freshman and sophomore engineering students at two- and four-year colleges and typically involves building an autonomous, battery-powered vehicle to navigate some sort of challenging track. The recent competition in Salt Lake City required vehicles to complete two laps around a figure-8 track with peaks and valleys. Scoring for the competition was based on speed in completing the course as well as on a presentation by student team members before a panel of judges.

Eight teams registered for the competition, but half of them dropped out just before the event, as they were unable to produce vehicles to complete the course (a common problem in this challenging event). The four teams that competed were well prepared and brought impressive vehicles to the event. The results were:

1 St Place: Tidewater Community College, Virginia Beach, Va.

2nd Place: Central Carolina Community College, Sanford, N.C.

3rd Place: Monroe Community College, Rochester, N.Y.

4th Place: LeTorneau University, Longview, Tex.

The next competition will be held on June 13, 2005, at the annual convention in Portland, Ore. For more information, contact Paul Gordy at Pgordy@tcc.edu or (757) 822-7175, or John Wadach at Jwadach@monroecc.edu or (585) 292-2488. Visit http-.llonlinelearning.tcc.edu/faculty/ tcgordp/ASEE/ index.html.