MARCH 11, 2020 — UTSA civil engineering students showed great success as they put classroom knowledge learned to practical use at the American Institute of Steel Construction’s Regional Steel Bridge Competition on March 8 in Arlington.
The UTSA Steel Bridge Team placed first overall and took first in the following categories: construction economy, structural efficiency, lightness, construction speed and stiffness.
Members of the UTSA Steel Bridge Team learn structural engineering problem solving, practical machine shop skills and teamwork with other engineers through this competition. After months of preparation the team competed against the best engineering schools in Texas. The UTSA team is now counted among the top finishers in the nation and qualify to compete in the 2020 National Finals, which will be held at Virginia Tech on May 22 and 23.
“I attribute the success of the 2020 UTSA Steel Bridge Team to the hard work and dedication of all team members,” said team captain Evan Batton, who is a senior civil engineering student.
This intercollegiate competition is a visual display of students’ structural design and analysis skills at work. Teams are challenged to design, fabricate and construct their own one-tenth-scale steel bridge in the shortest time and under specific building constraints that reflect real-life structural specifications and construction regulations.
The Student Steel Bridge Competition increases awareness of real-world engineering issues such as spatial constraints, material properties, strength, serviceability, fabrication and erection processes, safety, esthetics and cost.
“Participation in hands-on events such as the Steel Bridge Competition gives our students an opportunity to work as a team to develop intellectual, leadership and professional abilities,” said Manuel Diaz, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at UTSA who is adviser to the Steel Bridge Team. “This exceptional team of students has exhibited these skills at their highest capacity and will use the lessons learned through this experience to become leaders in the professional world.”
UTSA has been an active participant in the steel bridge competition since 1989 and has consistently been successful, bringing home numerous first place regional trophies for overall performance and many category awards.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
The Racial Justice Book Club was established at UTSA by members of the campus community to explore social justice following acts of racial violence across the nation over the last few years. We are reading The Injustice Never Leaves You: Anti-Mexican Violence in Texas by Monica Muñoz Martinez. We will meet every Wednesday in September and October at 2 pm on Zoom.
Virtual EventCelebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at our very own street fair - Calle UTSA. We will have activities, performances, food, music, and piñatas to break open.
Student Union Paseo"La Plática" is a space for thoughtful dialogue to build a sense of connection among the Roadrunner Community by getting to know each other better and sharing what's on our minds and about ourselves to increase to increase awareness of diverse perspectives.
Virtual EventThis September 30, the Friday Series will feature Prof. Milena Ang, who will be presenting A Tren to Nowhere: Statistic Development and the Politics of Racial, a paper co-authored with Tania Islas-Weistein where they discuss Mexico's long history of state-led development projects that contribute to economic and racial inequality. The authors argue that despite professing racial justice, official discourses surrounding the Tren Maya reproduce existing symbolic and material forms of racism.
McKinney Humanities (MH 4.01.01,) Main CampusWe invite you to learn about the process of screenwriting and explore the intersection of identity and pursuing dreams from Jorge Ramirez-Martinez and Raymond Perez, screenwriters for the Selena: The Series, released on Netflix. They will discuss their careers and writing process, including how their identities as Mexican American and gay men have shaped their professional experiences.
Virtual EventPlease join us in remembering those who have entered the next part of life by designing a nicho box in their memory. This workshop will provide the necessary items to create your nicho box, though please remember to bring a photo or small object that can fit in a 3.5 x5x1 inch box (small jewelry box).
John Peace Library GroupSpot B, Main CampusCome celebrate the end of Hispanic Heritage Month with La Comunidad at The University of Texas at San Antonio. We will have food, games and dancing!
H-E-B Student Union Ballroom 1 & 2, Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education.
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to ending generations of discrimination and inequity. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
