"Rowan University"
(19th place overall; 21st in paper; 16th in presentation; 23rd in product)

Presentation:

Four male team members dressed in casual attire gave the presentation.  The team introduced themselves and explained how they developed their design using AutoCad.  They explained how they used additional software to perform a structural analysis, pointed out their objectives for the mix design, and outlined the test methods used to achieve their objectives.   The team elaborated on their milestones and elaborated on how they maintained quality control by organizing their efforts.  They followed this by detailing their construction techniques.

 The only problem was that the presentation ended abruptly.  But experience is beginning to show here and this was one of the more technically based presentations in the morning session.

 During the question and answer session, the team was asked why they used silica fume?  They were asked if they considered reducing the water to cement ration by using a reducer.  

The judges asked if the four-person load case was the only one considered.  Additional questions followed:  "Why was the 3-M aggregate used and how did you calculate the specific gravity of that component?"  "How was the curing time adjusted to insure good bonding between the reinforcement and the concrete?"  "What was the most innovative part of your hull design?"  "What was the biggest challenge faced by the team this year?"

Product:

Name: Twister
Length: 20' 6"
Weight: 150 lb
Color: gray with red lettering

Vital Stats:

Rowan University, located in Glassboro, New Jersey, was the representative from the Metropolitan Region.  This was the team's fourth consecutive appearance at nationals.  Their highest finish was fourteenth in 2000.

Canoe/Materials/Facts:

Rowan's had a relatively lightweight canoe made of a glass bubble aggregate concrete reinforced with stucco mesh.