The Clemson University surveying team earned second place overall at the 2024 ASCE Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute Surveying Competition. The competition was part of the ASCE Civil Engineering Student Championships, hosted by the Brigham Young University in Provo Utah, Platteville, June 19-22.
Purdue University took the top spot, and below Clemson in the final overall standings was Pennsylvania State University in third place.
The ASCE UESI Surveying Competition was designed to help civil engineering students hone basic surveying skills in civil engineering projects. After competing at various ASCE student symposia throughout the spring, 15 teams qualified for the Society-wide finals at BYU.
The team, led by Daniel Farrell, included Reece Bonnett, Pranav Ravibiruthoji, and Chandler Davis. Over the four days, they gave a client presentation of map and plan creations that were completed prior to the event, they shared their maps in a poster session format with other participants and judges, learned to use brand new survey devices, participated in the competition day, and had a little fun in Utah.
Precision and accuracy are just some of the critical skills that they needed to be successful in this relatively new competition at ASCE Nationals. The competition also tests students’ aptitude with other useful surveying skills. It consists of five main tasks: a topographic mapping project that each team created and presented on, and four field events. The field events assessed teams’ skills in pacing, leveling to get benchmark elevation, building stakeout, and determining the cut and fill for a proposed sewer line at several stations.
Although our Tigers didn’t snag first place, they performed in true Tiger spirit (“All In”), met lots of friends, and had an overall great time! “Work hard, play hard” was the mantra! During breaks, these four drug our fearless chair and stand-in advisor, Dr. Jennifer Ogle, up Ensign Peak in Salt Lake City, to Bridal Veil Falls just outside Provo, and up Stewart Falls Trail just above Sundance.
The Clemson Survey Team plans to mentor another group next year to go all the way in 2025 – we can’t wait! Go Tigers!
