Orange County Branch Newsletter

September 2014

Student Chapter

Student Chapter - ASCE CSULB


Contributed by: Tammy Takgawa

Alumni Mixers
Alumni mixers are just one of the several net-working events organized by ASCE. Mixers are an effective way for our members to socialize and connect with CSULB alumni and create important contacts. Members can find internships and jobs through these networking events.

On June 12, several of our members went to the Bunker Hill Bar and Grill in Los Angeles. Students and alumni professionals were given the opportunity to socialize and network while enjoying drinks and food.

Members were given another opportunity to meet professionals at the Anaheim Brewing Co. on July 17. These types of environments help students meet professionals on a more personal level.

Concrete Canoe Workdays
The concrete canoe is one of the most important events at the Pacific Southwest Conference (PSWC). It takes students several months to prepare for this event. Weekends and nights are sacrificed to meet deadlines, including finishing the technical report on time. The canoe, which has the largest budget, takes a team of dedicated students to successfully complete. To ensure that the 2014-2015 concrete canoe will finish in a timely manner, the team decided to start work over the summer.

The concrete canoe team met on the last week of May to lay out a summer plan. The team decided that the hull design and concrete mix would be completed before the start of the fall semester. This would give the team more time to plan the canoe’s mold and construction. The team planned that the canoe would be fully built over winter break with one month to cure. This would allow the rowers to practice with this new canoe and decide if any changes would need to be made. Starting early would also give the team enough time to work on the aesthetics and design paper.

During the summer, the team created several different mix designs using various combinations of admixtures and cementitious materials. After the mixtures were put into cylinders and rodded, they were cured in water for 28 days. The cylinders were then prepared and tested in a hydraulic testing machine for compressive and tensile strength. After the mixes were tested, we discovered that mix 1 had the highest compressive strength. The team decided to make different variations of mix 1. Several different models were created on AutoCad and printed using David’s 3-D printer. The plastic models gave us an idea on how the canoes would flow in water.

During the fall semester, the team is hoping to recruit new members to help with the canoe. Concrete canoe workdays will introduce freshman to concrete materials.

Santiago Middle School
On Friday, June 6, ASCE OC YMF organized an outreach event with Santiago Charter Middle School. Members from OC YMF and two of our CSULB ASCE members, Vice President Andrew Lam and Co-President Victor Aguirre, volunteered at the middle school’s 4th annual 8th grade career day. OC YMF members introduced these students to the field of civil engineering by explaining the jobs and responsibilities of civil engineers and why engineers are important.

They also discussed the necessary steps to become a professional civil engineer. By participating in secondary education events, ASCE hopes to spark students’ interests in the civil engineering field and explain to them the importance of education and STEM related classes.

Engineering Girls at the Beach
Every year ASCE hosts “Engineering Girls at the Beach” for low-income middle school students. This event introduces young girls to engineering, hoping to spark their interest in the STEM related fields. By hosting this event, ASCE wants to encourage more girls of all backgrounds to consider engineering as a potential career.

On August 4 several girls participated in many events including Lego Structures, Cupcake Design, Thrash Bag Race, and creating Lava Lamps. The Lego structure design tested their creativity and their ability to perform under a deadline. The team with the most creative structure received recognition and a candy medal. The lava lamp designed taught the girls about buoyancy and chemical reactions. This event also al-lowed ASCE to get involved with the local community.

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