LATROBE, PA – Saint Vincent College’s 15th Annual Pasta Bridge Engineering Contest for local high school students will take place at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 7, in the Fred M. Rogers Center. The public is welcome to attend and watch as miniature bridges constructed from uncooked pasta and hot glue are loaded with increasing weights until they collapse.
The competition aims to increase the awareness of high school students about the role engineering plays in their lives and the career opportunities in the field while providing an opportunity for students to collaborate on the design and construction of bridges in a fun and engaging way.
Competitors will include 19 teams of students representing eight local high schools: Apollo Ridge, Greensburg Central Catholic, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield Area, Jeannette, Norwin, Penn-Trafford and Yough.
The event is co-sponsored by the Carbone family, DeLallo Italian Marketplace, Michael Baker International, Pantalone Funeral Home, Gibson-Thomas Engineering, The Engineers Society of Western Pennsylvania – The International Bridge Conference, Mine Safety Authority (MSA) and Saint Vincent College’s Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing.
Judges for the competition will be Matt Burns of Gibson-Thomas Engineering; Darin Tarasovich of Michael Baker International; and Dr. Stacy Birmingham, Saint Vincent College James F. Will Endowed Chair of Engineering and Professor of Engineering.
The Engineering Design Award, which will be determined and awarded by the judges prior to the loading of the bridge and the Natalie Carbone Mangini Most Aesthetic Award will be awarded in addition to the first, second and third place awards for the most weight held.
The rules committee will consist of Saint Vincent College engineering faculty members Dr. Stacy Birmingham, Dr. Derek Breid, Dr. Adam Wood, and Dr. Michael Robinson. Comedian Shaun Blackham will serve as emcee.
Organizers of the competition include Dr. Stephen Jodis, dean of the Boyer School and Tammy Marsh, Boyer School administrative assistant, along with Vince Mangini, representing the Carbone family; Sydney Green, Engineering Club; and Samuel Bringman and William Mallah, Physics Club.
For more information, contact Tammy Marsh in the Boyer School at tammy.marsh@stvincent.edu or 724-805-2631.
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