"University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)"
(23rd place overall)

Design Paper (16th):

Presentation (23rd):

UTEP built their theme about "the dragon has been awakened."  Dressed in Asian attire, two men and one woman gave a power point presentation explaining the philosophy underlying their effort.  After giving an initial introduction, the grand master and master of concrete gave a very interesting presentation complete with photos of worriers and dragons.

The team was asked how they maintained the structural integrity of the recycled Kevlar fibers that were employed, how they pre-stressed the canoe, and how the pre-stress was measured and kept uniform.

They were asked why they used the same mold as last year, what the purpose of the acrylic fortifier was, and what the effect of the pre-cure had on the composite action of their section.  The judges also asked what the difference was between cement and concrete.

In general, the presentation was interesting.  But the team had some trouble remembering their lines.

Product (24th):

Name: Dragon
Length: 18.4'
Weight: 165 lb
Color: lime yellow

Vital Stats:

The University of Texas at El Paso, located in El Paso, Texas, was the representative from the Rio Grande Region.  This was the team's ninth time and fourth consecutive appearance at nationals.  Their highest finish to date was fourteenth in 1995.

Display (22nd):

Canoe/Materials/Facts:

The hull is a minor modification of an existing canoe design.  Its mix includes the use of super-plasticizer, latex, and acrylic fortifier.  The canoe included the use of recycled Kevlar from previous canoes, which made the design a sustainable one.