Mission of ASU ASCE:

ASU ASCE strives to enhance the civil engineering program by:

• Providing professional development opportunities
• Exposing students to leaders in industry
• Using competitions to reinforce and apply engineering concepts
• Building character through community service
• Providing a social outlet for students

Welcome to the American Society of Civil Engineers of Arkansas State University student chapter website. As students of ASU, we take pride in our hard work, dedication, and student involvement.

History of comptitive performance:
      • Back-to-back regional champs (2002-2003)
      • Six time national competitors (2001-2006)

One of the most important activities that we engage in through ASCE are the regular student competitons. These competitions are considerably challenging, yet the rewards of winning make the efforts worthwhile. We engage in several competitions which reinforce the basics of civil engineering concepts including the building of a steel bridge, cement canoe, etc. Here are some highlights about the steel bridge in particular:

Student Competition stats:
      • 2003, Regional - 1st place overall (New Orleans, Tulane U.)
      • 2003, National - 21st place (San Diego State U.)

About the Steel Bridge Competition:
The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) have co-sponsored an inter-collegiate challenge requiring Civil Engineering students from all over the United States to design, fabricate, and construct a scaled down model steel bridge. As in any construction project, safety is of utmost importance. Therefore, above all other factors of competition, AISC and ASCE stress that the competitors, hosts, and judges prevent injury at all cost.

Students are intended to take on the entire design, fabrication, and construction process themselves yet may seek help from their faculty as well as fabrication services from commercial builders. The students are encouraged to maximize their personal involvement to contribute to the learning process of designing and establish a strong mental sense of teamwork.

There are two levels of competition. The first round of competition is the regional competition. The top two winning teams from their region are allowed to compete at the national competition. Regional competitions are held in conjunction with ASCE regional conferences. Arkansas State University is in the Deep South Conference, competing against such teams as Ole Miss, LSU, Mississippi State, and Tulane, just to name a few. The 2007 Regional Competition will be hosted by LA Tech in Lafayette. The National Competition will be held in California.

The first and second place finishers at the regional level qualify for the national competition. A university may only present one bridge per competition. The school’s design team has the option to present a different bridge at the national level if they place high enough at the regional level. The competition teams consist of undergraduate and graduate students that are involved in their school’s ASCE student chapter or club. The club must also be in good standing with the National ASCE Group, meaning all the necessary dues are paid and all paperwork must be submitted.