From all-terrain, remotely operated vehicles to concrete toboggans, UBC engineering students are competing this week in two competitions for marks and bragging rights. Media are invited to cover both events.
Event 1: UBC MECH 2 class annual competition
Date: Wednesday, Jan 23, 2013
Time: 12-1 p.m. Open-house/showcase of designs
1:15-4 p.m. Competition
Location: Room 1180, Kaiser Building
2332 Main Mall, UBC Vancouver campus
See the teams’ all-terrain remotely operated vehicles (ROVER) race across several different 10-metre tracks featuring hills, crevasses, sand traps and other obstacles.
As an added challenge, teams are not allowed to directly control the speed of their vehicle’s motor and must instead rely only on braking to slow down. Scoring of the designs will be based on speed, size, cost, obstacle avoidance and the ability to navigate rough terrain.
Event 2: UBC Engineering hosts Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race
Date: Friday, Jan. 25, 2013
Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Location: Mt. Seymour, North Vancouver BC
Twenty-three teams from across Canada are participating in the 2013 Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race (GNCTR) Jan. 23-27.
The GNCTR is an annual engineering competition hosted by a Canadian university. The event brings together more than 400 students from top engineering programs across the country.
Teams must build a toboggan with a concrete running surface, load it with five teammates, and race it down a snowy hill. The competition challenges students’ technical knowledge of materials and structures, teaches them to work with concrete and develops their ability to work as a team.
Universities compete in several judged categories, such as shortest race time, best overall design, best team spirit, and the coveted best overall team.
More info and video available at: http://www.gnctr2013.com/
Media contact for both events:
Wendy McHardy, 604-353-7575, wendy.mchardy@ubc.ca
