Cooper, Khanthavong, Palmore Secure Third Place in Surveying Competition
Fifteen students in Alabama A&M University’s Civil Engineering program participated in the 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Gulf Coast Student Symposium at the University of New Orleans in Louisiana. Dedicated to empowering students beyond the confines of traditional classroom learning, the symposium provides hands-on experience and software design skills designed to prepare students for professional success.
Students in the AAMU ASCE Bulldog Chapter competed against 400 students from 15 universities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama in various civil engineering-related challenges. AAMU students Camryn Cooper, Aliya Khanthavong and Danielle Palmore won third place in the Surveying Competition, in which students are required to use standard field and office equipment and procedures to solve common problems encountered in civil engineering.
“Students have consistently demonstrated unwavering dedication, investing weekends and going above and beyond to excel in events like the 2024 ASCE Symposium, says faculty advisor and Assistant Professor of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering Dr. Pooja Preetha. “The ASCE Chapter at Alabama A&M University celebrates this achievement as a reflection of the commitment to excellence ingrained in its members.”
The ASCE competition includes several challenges, including a GeoWall Competition, where students design and build a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall using kraft paper reinforcement, and a Sustainable Solutions Competition, in which students learn to incorporate sustainable solutions into everyday problems that engineers incur.
“Our student’s achievement stands as a testament to the dedication and commitment fostered within the ASCE community at Alabama A&M University,” adds Dr. Preetha. Civil Engineering Program Professor and Coordinator Dr. Mohamed Ashour is also an advisor.
