Seismic Design Team takes 2nd in national competition
The MU Seismic Design Team was awarded 2nd place this weekend at the National Seismic Design competition in San Francisco.
For the contest, sponsored by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, contestants designed a five-foot balsa wood tower that was subjected to shaking conditions similar to an earthquake. This year’s finish marks an improvement from last year, when MU came in 15th place out of 18 teams competing. The University of California, San Diego and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln placed first and third, respectively.
"We're very happy with the result,” Team member Matthew Wheeler said. “Our goal this year was just to improve and many of the other teams have been participating for years."
Student interest in seismology and earthquakes has been on the rise since the 2005 earthquake in the Indian Ocean. It increased further after the January earthquake in Haiti and the humanitarian crisis that followed, said Jared Berger, executive director of the Oakland, Calif.-based EERI
“I think there’s a growing recognition of engineering not only as a career but also as a way to help people in disadvantaged countries where earthquakes present a much more devastating situation,” Berger said.
Wheeler, a senior majoring in civil engineering, is one of three students on the team. The other team members are civil engineering seniors Sean Collier and Jeremiah Kasinger. The team brings home its award as the state is beginning its annual effort to increase earthquake awareness among residents.
Stay with The Maneater for more coverage of Earthquake Awareness Month.