Concrete Canoe -- TCC Alumni program

Tuesday, May 31, at 2:30 in SM-116

Although this is not an "official" Engineering Club meeting because it is summer, you are all invited to attend a presentation by several TCC alumni who are now at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

The main presentation will be about the design and construction of a concrete canoe by a team of civil engineers, but they and their friends studying other fields of engineering will also talk in general about what is needed to succeed after transferring from TCC to FSU or FAMU.

The presentation will be informal, so I think those of you with work or class conflicts could still show up at 3:30 and ask questions.

Background Info:

Two TCC alumni were part of a team that participated in the national "concrete canoe" competition last spring. Among other things, they will be bringing a mockup showing how the canoe was designed and samples of the extremely lightweight concrete they designed.

The presentation is in the SM116 classroom at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, May 31. I expect their presentation will last about an hour, but they say it will continue informally as long as there are questions. The only constraint is that we have to clean up and leave before a 5:00 class uses that room.

Although the team is made up of civil engineers, they are planning to have friends from mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering present next Tuesday to provide a broader perspective on the skills needed to survive and become an engineer.

Two Announcements

1) There is a meeting this Friday (9/24) at 2:30 in the SM260 conference room. I believe there will be a presentation about a thorium reactor project in addition to other club business.

2) On a less serious note, BBC America (Comcast digital cable 114) is having a "Top Gear" marathon this weekend to lead into their new season opener Monday. This show is an acquired taste, but where else could you see a test drive of the Ariel Atom?

Fall Meeting Schedule

Today is the first meeting of the Engineering Club for the fall semester.

All meetings are at 2:30 PM in SM-260, the conference room just to the left of the Science and Math reception area.

We meet on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month, plus the Tuesday after the 2nd Friday, except when holidays mess up that schedule.

Meeting Dates:

Friday, Sept 10
Tuesday, Sept 14
Friday, Sept 24

Friday, Oct 8
Tuesday, Oct 12
Friday, Oct 22

Friday, Nov 12
Tuesday, Nov 16

Friday, Dec 3

ASME "Lunch and Learn"

There will be a "Lunch and Learn" lecture about solar energy this Friday, August 20, at about 11:30. Food (pizza) supplied by the ASME professional chapter.

The location is the second floor conference room in the Frenchtown Renaissance building.

Students are encouraged to attend. You can usually meet some FSU and TCC students as well as engineers at these sessions.

Hopkins Plant Tour

The ASME professional chapter will be hosting a "Welcome Students Back Hopkins Plant Tour" on Sept 8 (Wednesday) in the early evening.

See the September 9, 2009 posting for directions from last year's trip.

I cannot attend because it conflicts with my evening PHY2048 class, but I highly encourage you to go on this combination tour, meet-and-greet (engineers and FSU engineering students), and feeding frenzy.

Club Announcements

From Gillian ...

(1) FSU Advising Day

Wednesday is FSU Advising in the SU ballroom from 10-2pm. This is a chance for all of you to speak to an advisor from the FSU Engineering Program, to see what classes you'd need and how many attempts that you're allowed.

(2) Club meeting Friday

We have a meeting this coming Friday at 2pm in SM260. I will e-mail the agenda tomorrow or Thursday. We'll be covering Spirit day, the solar cart, and the upcoming Hopkins Power plant tour. Also, those of you who attended the Latin Festival can sign the form for personal points and SOC points.

Hopkins Power Plant tour / ASME welcome party

From Ben Cowart for ASME student members, but I believe any TCC students interested in mechanical engineering are welcome to attend and get recruited. (Student memberships are cheap.)

September 30, 2009

Topic: Tour of AB Hopkins Power Plant
Host: Triveni Singh, City of Tallahassee

Agenda

4:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Registration
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Introductions, Announcements, and Recognitions
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Tour
6:30 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. Dinner and Q&A
7:15 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. Clean-up

The Tallahassee Sections welcomes back the student members, with a tour of the Hopkins Plant and cookout. Students, please RSVP to your student Club Advisor NLT Monday, September 28th, so that we can get an approximate head count for buying food. Thank you in advance to Triveni Singh and the Hopkins Plant for hosting this “Welcome Back” Students Event.

The Plant is located about 5 miles west of Capital Circle SW on 1125 Geddie Road, between US 90 West (W. Tennessee) and HWY 20, Blountstown Highway.

Safety and Dress Code:

This is an operating power plant, please do not wear shorts or loose fitting shirts. Shoes must be closed toe preferably leather. If you have a hard hat and safety glasses, please bring them, as the plant has a limited number.

Please contact Gillian if you plan to attend. They want an RSVP head count so they can plan for the right amount of food.

Detailed directions are in this article from 2008.