Community
Smith Engineering and UNM Partner on Award Winning Capstone Class
The Civil Engineering Program at the University of New Mexico was recently recognized as the grand prize winner of the 2011 NCEES Engineering Award for Connecting Professional Practice and Education for their Capstone Class: Integrated Infrastructure Improvements for a Youth Ranch. Smith Engineering staffers Allen Bolinger, Allena Muskett and Pat Conley, played a key role in this successful collaboration as well as Ryan Page of HDR, Inc. Under their mentorship, UNM civil engineering students were divided into four teams to address the design needs of a local youth scouting ranch. The issues addressed included: drinking water, fire protection, drainage, erosion control, emergency road access, wastewater collection, secondary treatment and structural improvements. In addition to providing a valuable service for our community, the Capstone Class and its mentors provided students, including recent Smith addition Chris Naidu, the opportunity to utilize their education in a real world environment. They participated in everything from preparing an SOQ to weekly meetings to final document preparation. This "practical understanding of the routine work environment of practicing professional engineers" impressed the NCEES jury.
The NCEES Engineering Award for Connecting Professional Practice and Education recognizes institutions that are able to create a unique experience for their students by developing opportunities for them to gain real world experience through practical interaction with professionals in their field. The students should take away an understanding of how an engineering firm works on a daily basis. It should also allow students the opportunity to hone skills like writing and presenting that may not be covered in the course work but will still be integral to their success as a professional.
UNM's Capstone Class: Integrated Infrastructure Improvements for a Youth Ranch met and exceeded the NCEES criteria by creating four groups to focus on specific needs that the Youth Ranch had encouraged for the course, including not only interaction with professional engineers, but also the coordination across different engineering disciplines and construction management. Under the guidance of their mentors the students created four mock engineering firms. These firms were responsible for preparing an SOQ for the client as well as a client interview. To provide further realism the teams conducted weekly meetings. The weekly meetings, and even much of the work product, was completed at the mentors office; providing first-hand insight into the inner workings of a local engineering firm - Smith Engineering.
As noted by UNM, "project teams carried out tasks that included site assessment, engineering modeling and calculations, alternative comparison, decision analysis, cost estimation, scheduling, preparation of drawings and specifications, and construction phasing". But there was far more to the project. Every project comes with a unique set of considerations and the Youth Scouting Ranch was no different. With a goal of improved safety for campers and developing the capacity for future growth the students and mentors also had to consider factors such as cost constraints, the use of volunteer labor and donated materials and the project's remote location. The mentors worked with the students through each aspect of the project and over every hurdle.
We are very proud to have been a part of this successful Capstone Class; benefiting a local Youth Scouting Ranch and helping prepare students for their careers after graduation.
To find out more about the award or the Capstone Class visit:
http://civil.unm.edu/news/summer11/ncees_award.html
