By: Bradford Colton
The call went out in December from UNLV professor Dr. Brendan O'Toole that volunteers were needed to help high school students build robots for the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) competition. Local engineers, UNLV students, and UNLV professors went forth to help out the 15 local high schools participating in the competition.
I was born and raised here in Las Vegas and graduated from Clark High School, which happened to be one of the schools on the list. So naturally, I volunteered for Clark High. As I made my way down the hallway of the school, I spotted my old locker and became nostalgic. This was the school where I went to prom and the school with the science room where I managed to shock myself silly. I used to have a class that that was directly across the street from a 7-11 store, which always made a quick (if against the rules) slurpee break a must. I was always more than ready to leave school at the end of the day and so I was quite impressed that the group of high school students that I was about to help were so motivated. Part of the motivation for the students at Clark High stems from its tranformation into one of Clark County's many magnet schools.
Clark High School is home to three four-year magnet programs: the Academy of Finance; the Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Applied Technology; and the TEACH (Teacher Education at Clark High) program. The robotics club falls under the science program and is guided by Clark High professor Jeff Sanders. The robotics club is has a student President who comes from a long-line of engineers. Sarah Trabia, daughter of UNLV Engineering Professor Dr. Mohamed Trabia, is the robotics club student President. Sarah (pictured above in the middle of picture on the far left; Logan and Orion are pictured with her) is a high school senior. Dr. Mohamed Trabia happened to be one my professors at UNLV when I was taking undergraduate classes. This made helping this team even more interesting.
While there are more than 20 students in the robotics club, there are roughly a dozen core individuals which stayed everyday after school for six weeks in order to design, build, program, and test their creation. Most of the core students were seniors, but there were a few juniors and one freshman who will carry on the robotic legacy next year.
The FIRST robotic competition is an annual event and each year the robots must accomplish a new goal. This year the goal (in simplified terms) is to knock a large ball from an overhead rack and push it around a circular course. Teams can score additional points if the robot can pass the ball over the rack as the robot circles the track and more points if the robot can set the ball back onto the rack at the end of the event. Because of the variety of ways to build points, there was quite a debate over whether to design the robot to complete all the tasks or whether to make a simpler robot that might be able to complete a sub-set of tasks more reliably and quickly. Multiple design options were envisioned and considered. In the end, the Clark team put their effort into in a robot that featured two pneumatic pistons which allowed the robot to knock the ball off the rack and to grip the ball in order to carry it around the circular track.
Cimarron High School built a replica of the test track and invited the other schools out to test their robots before the official competition. The Clark High robot performed well in this pre-test, although they did end up losing a gear box which they will need to replace before the official competition.
The general public is invited to witness the competition for free. The event will held in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center, March 28-29. For more details, click here.
Dr. Robert Boehm: The Hindenburg Revisited
Using hydrogen gas for transportation is nothing new. The Hindenburg zeppelin used hydrogen to create the lift needed to transport individuals and cargo. While advances in hydrogen technology have not made it safe for zeppelins, hydrogen is envisioned as the fuel of the future. Hydrogen has no sustainability issues, it is the most abundant element in the universe, making up 75% of normal matter by mass.
On April 23rd, with a focus on hydrogen vehicles and the hydrogen economy, Dr. Robert Boehm will be our featured speaker at a technical and awards dinner sponsored by our Silver State ASME section. Dr. Boehm is the Director of the Center for Energy Research. His specialties are in the areas of thermal system design and power systems, with particular emphasis on renewable energy concepts. Dr. Boehm has been working for over a decade on the development of hydrogen vehicles and he will be bringing two vehicles to this event.
The first vehicle has an internal combustion engine that has been converted to run on hydrogen gas. The conversion was made possible by the direct cylinder injection technology developed at UNLV. The second vehicle is equipped with a fuel cell and electric motors.
The dinner will be held at the new 180 acre Las Vegas Springs Preserve with a buffet style dinner being catered by the Wolfgang Puck restaurant. This is a great opportunity to see the Springs Preserve (which operates a fleet of hydrogen vehicles), learn what the future has to offer, and socialize with other ASME members. In addition to the technical content, there will be an award ceremony featuring The Award for Outstanding Advancement of Engineering in Southern Nevada, The Award for Outstanding Volunteer, and announcement of winner of the The UNLV Student Essay Competition
What: Technical & Awards Dinner
When: Wednesday, April 23rd, doors open at 6 PM with dinner starting at 6:30 PM, 8:30 PM end
Where: Las Vegas Springs Reserve (333 S. Valley View Blvd.)
Cost: $35/person or $20/student
RSVP: An Evite will be sent out by March 10th. Responding to the Evite is the preferred method of RSVP. However, if you did not receive the Evite, please RSVP to Bradford Colton via email or phone (699-4131).
Make an Award Nomination FIRST Robotics Competition
Are you a FIRST Robotics volunteer? Did you know that The ASME Foundation and the ASME Auxiliary sponsor a scholarship specifically for HS seniors who are on a FIRST Robotics team? If yes, this information is for you!
About the Award
The purpose of the FIRST Clark Scholarship is to recognize and reward students whose FIRST experience has inspired the pursuit of an engineering career. In 2008, The ASME Foundation and the ASME Auxiliary will award ten (10) $5,000 scholarships to high school seniors active on FIRST teams, who are nominated by ASME members, ASME Auxiliary members, or student members who are also active with FIRST. These awards will be for the freshman year of study (non-renewable) in an accredited Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology program. The recipients will be announced at the FIRST National Championship.
Nomination and Student Eligibility
Members of ASME, including ASME Auxiliary members and student members, may nominate no more than one student each. Students must be:
- Graduating high school seniors active on FIRST teams
- Planning to enroll full-time in an ABET-accredited or substantially equivalent mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology program, no later than the fall after their senior year in high school.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 15, 2008
For more information, on this or other ASME financial aid opportunities, visit our web site at: http://www.asme.org/Education/College/FinancialAid/Auxiliary_FIRST_Clarke.cfm
Award Nominations - ASME Silver State
In 2007, the ASME Silver State Section developed three annual awards to recognize engineers professionals, engineering students, and anyone who has aided the engineering profession in Southern Nevada. This year, these awards will be given out at a dinner planned for April 23 at the Springs Preserve. We need your help to nominate worthy individuals!!!! A description of the awards is as follows:
The Award for Outstanding Advancement of Engineering in Southern Nevada is given to an individual who has helped advance engineering in Southern Nevada through volunteerism, performing cutting-edge research, or professional excellence.
The Award for Outstanding Volunteer recognizes an outstanding volunteer that has not only contributed their time and talent to ASME, but has helped our Silver State Section to thrive.
The UNLV Student Essay Competition award is given to a UNLV Mechanical Engineering student based on an essay they write. This year, the students were asked to draw conclusions about which energy source, or mix of energy sources, is the best for the future of the modern world. Students have been asked to consider issues such as cost, refinement processes, cleanliness, and the advantages and disadvantages to the environment.
We need your help on the first two awards and ask for you to submit nominations by the end of March. Nominations should include a short description of why that individual deserves to be recognized. Please send nominations via email to Justin. The student essays will be reviewed and voted on by the executive board.
Become Part of Our Team - Volunteers Needed
We need your help!!! We need volunteers to help coordinate: technical courses for professional development credits, technical dinners, award ceremonies, plant tours, and socials. Additionally, this July the new officer term starts and we would like to move some of the current officers up the ranks and we need your help filling in the officer positions.
We are looking for someone whom might be able to help out with our website. We are always looking for interesting articles for the newsletter. Write a one-time article or create a regular feature. Volunteer today by clicking here to contact Justin. We will be grateful for your help.
UNLV Students Compete for Engineering Gold
The UNLV Student Chapter of SAMPE (Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering) participates annually in the Super Lightweight Composite Bridge and Wing competitions. In these competitions, student design, analyze, and manufacture small-scale bridges and wings to be constructed from any fiber-reinforced composite hoping to achieve a high best strength-to-weight ratio. UNLV SAMPE always places well in the competition, including 1st place poster wins in the most recent competition. The core group for this year's design are Stacy Raagas, Jagadeep Thota, and Kimberly Clark. The picture above is from 2008 design effort.
The 2008 Human Powered Vehicle team has chosen a fairing design that will significantly reduce the coefficient of drag and slightly decrease the coefficient of lift (so that a small down force will help keep the vehicle on the ground). The entire male mold for the fairing was cut with a HAAS VF-5 at UNLV and assembled by UNLV students. Current work includes the fabrication of the female fiberglass mold from the male foam mold, frame design and fabrication and design of lay-up techniques to install windows in the fairing. This year’s design is quite small for single rider vehicle (30” wide, 32” tall, 72” long) and will weigh under 20 lbs when fully assembled. This year’s vehicle also includes a four wheeled design to a) increase stability over a 2 wheeled vehicle b) increase the speed at which sharp turns can be made c) to decrease the riding learning curve for beginning riders and d) to lower the CG by using smaller wheels and tires. The core group for this years deign are Daniel Lowe (former student), Ron Fifield (former student), Stacy Raagas (master’s student), Kevin Nelson (former student), and Chris Salisbury (undergraduate student). The picture above is from 2008 design effort.
The UNLV student section of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has formed a team “Rebel Racing” to compete in 2008 Mini Baja SAE Competition. The overall goal of the team is to design a single rider off-road vehicle which is fun to drive, can handle rough terrain, and can be mass produced at an affordable price. The competition challenges students to design and manufacture a vehicle that safely pass tests like speed, traction, maneuverability, rock crawl, and a 4 hour endurance race. The core group for this year's design are Kevin Murphy, Jonathon Schweter, and Nathan Snyder.
The Wine Judges Have Declared a Winner or Two
Last month we had a social and wine tasting that featured 12 wines from the merlot, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and cabernet sauvignon families. Everyone was able to vote on the wines and there was a tie for first place between Stirling's Vinter Collection cabernet sauvignon and merlot. There were actually three wines that tied for second, which were Robert Mondavi's Private Selection cabernet sauvignon and merlot, Beringer's chardonay. We had a good turn out, but we still had quite a few bottles of wine left. Therefore, we have decided to have a May Pot Luck & Wine social. For more details see below.
Thinking About Your Career?
A new year has begun. Have you thinking about making some major career moves, like finding a new job, finding out what you are worth, raising your profile at work or networking with other engineers to expand your career opportunities? Let ASME help you energize your career this year with these member benefits.
Look for a job, build your resume or get advice at ASME’s Online Career Center: The only job board dedicated exclusively to Mechanical Engineers. www.asme.org/Jobs/
Find out what you’re worth by taking the ASME Salary Survey: Enter your information to get a basic level report on how your salary compares to others in your region, industry, field or experience level. Detailed reports available at special member pricing. https://asme.enetrix.com/pls/flexp/survey_frontend.homepage
Be a valued technical resource. You can access the 75 volume ASME e-Library free 365 days a year 24/7. When a technical problem arises, the e-Library will be there for you. Sign up now at www.asme.org/Membership/Benefits/Professional/eLibrary.cfm
Visit the ASME Career Center and Professional benefits pages to access these and other career-related benefits.
ASME ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2008-09 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FELLOWSHIPS
ASME is currently accepting applications for the following Federal Government Fellowship positions:
Congressional Fellowships
ASME is accepting applications from qualified candidates interested in serving as a 2008-09 Congressional Fellow. The Federal Fellows program enables selected ASME members to spend one year in Washington, D.C. working with the staff of a congressional committee, U.S. senator or U.S. Representative. Federal Government Fellowships provide a valuable public service to the nation while providing engineers with a unique opportunity to participate directly in the policy making process. Congressional Fellows may serve from September 2008 through August 2009 - or January 2009 through December 2009 - at their option. The deadline to submit an application for the Congressional Fellowship is April 1, 2008.
Department of Commerce Fellowship
ASME is also accepting applications from qualified candidates interested in serving a year at the U.S. Department of Commerce in the Manufacturing and Services (MAS) Office of Standards Liaison (OSL). The Fellow will work with U.S. stakeholders involved in the standardization process, including individual companies, industry associations, standards developing organizations, and the American National Standards Institute on trade-related standards issues affecting U.S. competitiveness, innovation and growth. OSL works on issues involving all sectors and in all overseas markets, although there is a greater focus on emerging and technology-related sectors and critical markets such as Europe and China. Applicants for this position must have strong technical, interpersonal, organizational, and oral and written communication skills, as well as substantive knowledge or experience in an industry sector and the standardization process. The start date for the DOC fellowship is flexible.
A stipend of $55,000 will be awarded to each Fellow for the year. All Fellowship applicants must be a U.S. citizen and an ASME member at the time of application. The following credentials are encouraged: At least five years of professional experience, an advanced engineering degree, professional engineer registration, and some public policy experience. An online application is available at https://secure.asme.org/fedgovfellows/appform.cfm
For additional information about the Federal Fellows program, visit http://www.asme.org/NewsPublicPolicy/GovRelations/Programs/Federal_Government.cfm or contact Kathryn Holmes, director, ASME Government Relations, at holmesk@asme.org or 202/785-7390.
Prepare for Tomorrow's Engineering Challenges - Today!
The 2008 ASME Annual Meeting will be held June
7-11, at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The theme of this year's event is “Innovative Partnering: Interdisciplinary Challenges to Designing the Future.” The 5-day event will feature three plenary sessions, moderated by Michael Rogers, futurist-in-residence at the New York Times Company, with panelists of senior executives from such companies as Boeing, IBM and Westinghouse Electric. There will also be a broad range of workshops led by top executives, academics, futurists and venture capitalists as well as professional development and training opportunities including a Career Expo. Also, enjoy a golf outing and a charity 5K walk/run.
To learn more and register, go to www.asmeconferences.org/annualmeeting08.
ASME's IShow Sets Stage for Future Innovators
Celebrating outstanding technological accomplishments and the entrepreneurial spirit, ASME's Center for Engineering Entrepreneurship & Innovation held the inaugural Innovation Showcase - IShow - on Nov. 9 in conjunction with IMECE in Seattle, Wash. Supported by IBM, Boeing, Westinghouse, and Schlumberger, the IShow featured collegiate student teams who presented their innovations to a judging panel of successful entrepreneurs, IP specialists, and industry experts. Teams from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and University of Texas at Austin were honored with seed funds and industry recognition for the creativity and commercial feasibility of their invention. For further details on the 2007 IShow and plans for the 2008 competition, contact Patti Jo Snyder, snyderp@asme.org
ASME Social: Pot Luck & Wine
Last month we had such a response to the social and wine tasting, we decided to have another event sooner than later. So mark your calenders for Saturday, May 17th. We have decided to have a pot luck and wine social for two reasons, 1) everyone wanted to bring something to the event, and 2) we had quite a few bottle of wine left over. An Evite will be sent out in April 15th for this event. If you are not on the email list, please send an email to Bradford Colton, or call him at 699-4131 to RSVP. This event will be open to ASME members and their guests.
Nevada Solar One Tour
Our ASME section toured the 64-megawatt solar thermal power plant out in the Eldorado Valley last year. We initially were going to visit the plant for a second time last quarter, but we decided to move the tour to a time when the weather would be better and the panels receiving better sunlight. We will be creating an Evite for this event next month and you will receive a personal invitation which will contain all the pertinent details and allow you to RSVP over the web. This tour will be limited to the first 40 RSVPs. For more information about Nevada Solar One, see their wikipedia entry. If you have not received the Evite, please RSVP to Bradford.
This newsletter has been published by the Silver State Section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
To learn more about the Silver State Section go to: ASMENV.ORG
