Students' Steel Bridge Model Places in Regional Engineering Contest

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Building a scale model of a functional steel bridge is a tough assignment, but students from the University at Buffalo's Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering recently created one that took second place overall at the 2008 regional American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) conference hosted by the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system that is its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.

The eight-member steel bridge team from the UB student chapter of ASCE took first place in the categories of stiffness and efficiency, earning a chance to travel to Gainesville, Fla., to compete against teams from across the country at the 2008 National Student Steel Bridge Competition, being held at the University of Florida May 23 and 24.

The competition provides engineering students hands-on practical experience in engineering construction and design.

Thomas R. Coyne of Albertson served as team captain of the UB team.

Other team members were:

Raymond J. Cestaro -- Whitestone

Trisha M. Miazga -- Saskatoon, Ontario, Canada

Antonio Miceli -- Spencerport

Alexander C. Niederbuhl -- Saranac Lake

Melissa E. Norlund -- Petersburgh

Robert D. Wurstner -- Buffalo

Walter J. Zitz -- Red Hook.