UBC-O Engineering Students Meet Design Challenge
The first students enrolled in the new Engineering One Program at UBC Okanagan presented their end-of-year projects at the inaugural Engineering One Design Awards on April 5, 2006. As a part of APSC 170 – Engineering Fundamentals, first-year engineering students worked in teams of three or four throughout the term to build machines capable of transporting a small ball through a challenge-filled course.
Applying engineering principles, each team developed and evaluated conceptual designs, prepared drawings for their chosen concept, purchased parts and supplies with a budget limit of $100, built machines, and demonstrated them for judges. Students were evaluated on their oral presentation, visual aids, and teamwork, as well as their machines’ functionality, design and workmanship.
Judging the projects were UBC Dean Emeritus in the Faculty of Applied Science Dr. Martin Wedepohl, P.Eng.; Dr. Ted Swart, Dean Emeritus of the College of Physical Sciences at the University of Guelph, APEGBC’s executive director Anne Garrett, P.Eng.; and APEGBC Past President Dick Fletcher, P.Eng.
Presented by UBC Faculty of Applied Science Dean Dr. Michael Isaacson, P.Eng.; and Associate Director of the School of Engineering Dr. Bruce Dunwoody, P.Eng., the award for Best Project Design went to Warren Anderson, Scott Ghomeshi, and Jon Holland for their entry, Beagle II. Made from scrap wood, scrap metal and parts of household appliances, Beagle II’s design included a lift created from a car belt and rare earth magnets. The award for Best Presentation went to Kevin Bowser, Bram Hobuti, Cameron Morris and Raminder Sahota for their project, Dragon Ball-Z, which featured an ultraviolet blacklight for a dramatic lighting effect.
More than 100 people were present for the Awards, including representatives from business, other academic institutions, friends and family—a satisfying show of support for the Okanagan’s engineering future.
The UBC Okanagan Engineering One Program was launched this past September. This first-year program offers an integrated approach to curriculum components, linking fundamentals to applications, and giving students a strong foundation in mathematics and the sciences. After completion of the program, students can continue their engineering degree programs at UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver.