"Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville"
(19th place overall; 15th in paper; 16th in presentation; 18th in product)

Presentation:

SISU represented the Mid-Continent Conference and made their debut at nationals.

SIUE relied on 3 people to make their presentation; 2 men and 1 woman.  The presenters were dressed in suits and the presentation was business oriented.  The team used 1 screen and did not include any videos.

SIUE was the first team on the block; a formidable task considering that this was the team’s first appearance at the national level. 

Following a brief introduction, the team began by explaining the motivation behind their theme.  Then they mentioned their canoe's specifications.

After highlighting the attributes of the hull, the team outlined their form construction techniques.  They used a male mold and female forms to create the bow and stern sections.

Mix design came next followed by an elaborate description of the construction scenario.  The team explained how the cane was cured and finished using templates and stains.  Their presentation ended with a summary of the canoe’s basic attributes.

 Questions and Comments:  

• What others fiber types did you test?
• Why did you select poly-fibers?
• What are the major differences between last year’s canoe and this year’s?
• Did you change the reinforcement at all?
• What could you have done to verify your finite element results?
• Why was the tensile stress of the mix you selected lower than that you needed?
• What did you learn about managing your team and what would you do differently in the future?
• How much time did you allot to practice paddling?
• So you did practice, despite not listing this as an activity in your report?

Product:

   Southern Illinois University Edwardsville fielded "Play Ball."
Length: 18.17'
Weight: 160 lb
Color: black and gray

SIUE’s hull was reinforced using 2 layers of fiberglass mesh.  The team included poly-fibers for secondary reinforcement.  Matrix materials included poraver and hollow glass spheres.  

The team incorporated a flat bottom on their hull and flared the sides to facilitate form removal.  Their theme was developed to honor Dr. Rossow who is about to retire after serving as the department chair.  One of the best instructors at SIUE, Dr. Rossow will be remembered for beginning each lecture by saying, “Play Ball!”

Vital Statistics (Debut)