Sometimes you have to fail to succeed. That’s the case with a project for third-year students in Amr El Ragaby’s class finite element for analysis and design.

The civil engineering professor challenges groups to design and build models of a truss bridge, predicting how they will react when subjected to pressure from a custom-built crusher. They are rewarded for designs that hold up well, and for accuracy in their analysis of the load capacity of their models.

“We try to give the students a hands-on experience to apply the skills that they learn in class in a competitive environment,” says Dr. El Ragaby. “This project gives them a chance to connect the dots.”

A new wrinkle this year was an additional requirement—modelling concepts for the Gordie Howe International Bridge currently planned to link the Herb Gray Parkway and I-75 highways.

“The Windsor area is very excited about the new bridge,” El Ragaby says. “That’s why we need to challenge the students and push their imagination to come up with a creative design.”

Matt Oldewening, senior staff engineer with the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, was one of the judges for the competition held Tuesday in the Centre for Engineering Innovation. He says the students obviously put a lot of research and thought into their work, and adds the load-testing portion was instructive: “You don’t like to see failures out in the real world, but they teach you more than anything else.”

One team claimed prizes in both the truss bridge design and the Gordie Howe bridge concept: Nathan Barbarossa, Josh Haddad, Matthew Lemmon, Cameron McDonald and George Vereyken.

The team of Dan Brito, Katie Gaffney, Marisa Minicilli and Ian Tenhaaf shared top honours for a creative and innovative concept for the international bridge; and the award for most accurate analysis went to Mansour Alotaibi, Lucy Asemota, Khalid Alhashim, Abdul Rahman Alshahri and Abdul Rahman Awad.

The bridge authority will display some of the model designs in the lobby of its home offices in downtown Windsor.

Students show contrasting reactions to the crushing of their bridge design, Tuesday in the Centre for Engineering Innovation. See more photos from the event on the UWindsor Engineering Facebook site.

Hundreds of fans filled the stands in the Dennis Fairall fieldhouse Tuesday to cheer on three Lancer alumnae who will compete for Team Canada in the Olympic Games next month in Rio de Janeiro. Athletics and Recreational Services organized the send-off for Melissa Bishop (BHK 2010, B.Ed 2011), Miah-Marie Langlois (BComm 2014) and Noelle Montcalm (BScN 2012).

“It’s my first time meeting them,” said nine-year-old Jasmine Benoit, who stood in line to receive a poster autographed by all three athletes. “I was so excited.”

Her seven-year-old sister Sienna Benoit had a more succinct summary of the Lancer grads: “Girls rule!”

Supporters—family members, children from Lancer camps, alumni and UWindsor retirees—donned red and white and waved Canadian flags during addresses by the athletes, university dignitaries, and Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens.

The Rio Games will run August 5 to 21. Bishop will race in the 800m, in which she holds the Canadian record; Montcalm will compete in the 400m hurdles; and Langlois will play guard on the women’s basketball team. In addition, Lancer women’s basketball head coach Chantal Vallée will provide commentary for CBC television.

UWindsor students and employees can help newcomers join the campus community during Residence Move-in Day, organizers say.

“Volunteers can help by greeting and welcoming students and families, helping move boxes and providing directions,” says Lynn Charron, team lead of Residence Life. “It’s a great day to show off your Lancer and University of Windsor pride and show our new students what a wonderful place this is to live and learn!”

She calls the event, which will see hundreds of new and returning students take up residence in one of the University’s four halls, a memorable and exciting day.

“We need all the help we can get from faculty, staff and student volunteers to help the day run as smoothly as possible,” Charron says.

Move-in day 2016 is set for Sunday, September 4, and volunteers are needed from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., but are not required to work the entire day. “Any amount of time is appreciated,” she says.

To indicate your willingness to volunteer, fill in the appropriate online form:

• Sign up as a faculty or staff member
• Sign up as a student volunteer

Charron encourages volunteers to wear UWindsor or Lancer apparel. Direct any questions to her at lcharron@uwindsor.ca.

The latest student innovations will be on display Friday in the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation.

Fourth-year engineering students will present their capstone design projects to industry sponsors and faculty. Capstone projects enable students to gain hands-on, leadership experience with a strong emphasis on teamwork.

Students will display and present their projects between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Three finalists will be selected from each department: civil and environmental engineering; electrical and computer engineering; and mechanical, automotive and materials engineering. A Dragons’ Den style presentation by the finalists will see a winner receive a $500 prize sponsored by Union Gas.

Career and Employment Services will set up a Pokémon Go lure module outside of Dillon Hall today—Thursday, July 28—at 2:30 p.m. to draw student players to its Cover Letters and Resumes that ROAR workshop scheduled for 3 p.m. in Dillon room 351.

“We recognize that students may be more interested in continuing their quests to ‘Catch ’Em All’ than attending our workshop,” says program development coordinator Meagan Haugh. “We thought we might take the opportunity to raise awareness of our services.”

The centre will have staff on hand to speak with students and promote its ability to help with job search, career planning, work experience, resumé critiques, mock interviews, interest testing, volunteer opportunities, and more—all free for students and alumni.

The more players in one spot, the better the chance of rare Pokémon appearing in the area, Haugh says: “So we hope students will come out, catch some Pokémon and learn more about Career and Employment Services.”

Vice provost international Ram Balachandar announced Wednesday the appointment of Jennie Atkins as director of the Centre for Executive and Professional Education (CEPE) for a two-year term.

In this capacity, Atkins will also support his office with regards to international development, pathway programming and partnership agreements. Atkins served as director of the UWindsor Centre for English Language Development (CELD) for over 10 years.

“She was responsible for transforming what had been the Academic Writing Centre into an entrepreneurial language training centre with two locations which have greatly contributed to our international recruitment efforts,” said Dr. Balachandar.

To support this transition, Anouchka Plumb has been appointed as acting director of the CELD. Plumb has held the role of English as Second Language instructor within the department since 2007.