Friday, Sept. 20, the Department of Civil Engineering will be hosting high school students from the region for the Construction Olympics. Held at various indoor and outdoor locations on the main Akron campus, the competition was designed by Civil Engineering Professor Brian Ballou as a fun, interactive way to give students hands-on experience to supplement their engineering education.
Both Highschool and College students will be able to compete at this event. The sign-up sheet for those willing to participate will be inside the Auburn Science and Engineering building room 120. The Construction Olympiad contains eight events where students compete for medals and prizes.
This competition was designed as a recruitment event where high school faculty bring student groups interested in learning about civil engineering, construction, construction engineering technology, and surveying and mapping to campus.
Still hosting the event, now in its third year, Ballou loves seeing each student’s face light up with a passion for engineering when competing in the competition.
“It stokes the competitive juices that are in each one of us and produces a memorable experience,” Ballou said.
From The Amazing Pace to Drilling for Dollars, the competition contains multiple events showcasing what students are learning in the classroom. Ballou’s favorite competition is the Bobcat Obstacle course, where students drive skid steers through a maze in a university parking lot.
“It’s a great sight to see students put into practice what they’ve been taught in the classroom,” Ballou said.
For him, it’s the moment they apply what they’ve learned into real world skills that is most exciting.
Ballou joined UA in 1999. Prior to this, he was an adjunct Professor of Architecture at Tri-C in Cleveland. He has been recognized with outstanding teaching awards at the unit, college and university level.
Ballou is a registered Professional Engineering in the State of Ohio. He has seven years private practice experience in Construction Management working previously for the V-Group, Engineered Endeavors, and G-Q Drywall. He has also worked with Habitat for Humanity, Rebuilding Together, and Legacies of Success.
Students who wish to come out and support the Zips in Engineering and Construction Engineering should stop out from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot behind the Auburn Science Building.
For more information, reach out to Professor Brian Ballou at [email protected]
Zackary Storms wrote this article as part of a Newswriting class in the University of Akron School of Communication.
