Drexel to Host ASCE Mid-Atlantic Student Conference

The Drexel student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) will play host to the ASCE Mid-Atlantic Student Conference on April 10 and 11.

The marquee event of the annual conference is the Concrete Canoe Competition, challenging participants to design a viable watercraft using lightweight, non-porous concrete mixes. The event has been a fixture of inter-chapter meetings since the 1960s and a nationwide ASCE competition since 1988. A display of team canoes can be found in the Ludlow Street entrance to Curtis Hall.

Though building and piloting canoes on a river is out this year, teams will still write a technical paper explaining the methods they would use and present it for peer review. ASCE has also added an “enhanced focus area” requirement that asks participants to give an additional presentation on specifics like optimal hull design to account for fluid dynamics or the development of a full-scale drawings and specifications.

“Competitors will be able to dive deeper into all the small decisions that go into the design of a canoe,” says Kyle Carstensen, a fifth-year architectural engineering student and one of the other organizers.

Traditionally formatted as an in-person gathering of students from all around the region, this year’s conference will be held virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions. Even so, the event organizers are planning a strong slate of events.

“We are working hard to maintain a similar itinerary and experience as when Drexel hosted the conference in 2011 and 2016,” says Andrew Howe, a fourth-year civil engineering BS/MS honors student and one of the event’s organizers. “It’s an honor to host the conference, and we want to be sure that attendees get the most out of it.”

The conference will also include social and networking opportunities and planning meetings for future conferences. Students can learn more about the conference and register to attend online. The deadline to register is March 15.