Concrete Toboggan – Kristen Roberts – 3B Civil
Do you want to get involved in an on-campus student design team? Do you want to travel across Canada to compete against other engineering students? Does the idea of traveling 70 km/hr “safely” down a hill appeal to you? Are you looking for another way to get involved on campus? Or are you looking for a 4th year project? Yes? Well then the Concrete Toboggan team is for you!
A little background: Founded in 1974, the Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race (GNCTR for short) is hosted once a year in the winter term by Canadian universities. It provides the opportunity for engineering students to become involved in the design and construction of a 300lb concrete sled. Each team is judged for their technical exhibitions, innovative design, spirit and the performance of the toboggan.
Due to the division of streams, at Waterloo there always two teams in the development and planning stage (one on campus and one on their co-op term). To provide distinction team names ‘A’ and ‘B’ are used and correspond with the Engineering Society titles. This fall the GNCTR ‘A’ team will on campus and will be competing in Ottawa in 2012. In January 2011, the University of Waterloo GNCTR ‘B’ team, which will on campus in the Winter 2011 term, will be traveling to Edmonton.
One common misconception that this team is just for Civils who like concrete a little too much. This is not true. UW’s GNCTR teams are cross-campus student teams that rely on participation from students of all disciplines.
If you would like to become involved in this student team feel free to come out to our meetings, join the mailing list at http://groups.google.ca/group/uw-gnctr-2012 or talk to one of the members cooking burgers beside CPH patio every week. Throughout the term we will be posting updates and meeting reminders, so don’t forget to keep an eye out for them on the bulletin boards in the engineering quad.
Waterloo FSAE – Andre Lo – Waterloo FSAE
Formula SAE is an internationally-recognized Collegiate Design Series event hosted by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). With over 200 universities from around the globe a brand new, small formula style, open-wheeled race car every year.
Every year, members of the team design and manufacture a race car from scratch for the Formula SAE competition.Students who help out with the team receive invaluable hands-on experience, engineering knowledge, and analytical skills that help them apply the concepts learned in classroom to real-world engineering problems. The team looks for motivated students with a high interest in the field of automotive engineering. In order to be a good designer and engineer, it is very important to have hands on experience working with tools and fabricating parts; the team provides plenty of opportunities to do so as member.
In addition, team members raise money required to construct the car by constantly seeking sponsors. The team also looks for students interested in the field of web administration, graphic design, IT, marketing and sponsorship to help out with business related aspects of the team.
Students who are interested in membership are encouraged to contact the team at uwfsae@gmail.com, as well as to come out to E5 for a chance to talk to current team members in person. For more details please visit http://fsae.uwaterloo.ca/.
Waterloo Off-Road Mini Baja Team – Rob Sterling – Mini Baja Team
The Waterloo Off-Road Mini Baja Team is a group of Waterloo Engineering Students who design and build an off-road vehicle to race in SAE sanctioned Mini-Baja events. Each year the team must design, build, test, promote, and race a small-scale, off-road prototype vehicle.
The SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Baja competition, held annually, is two days of events that put the team’s vehicle to the test. Examples of competition events are acceleration, skid pull, hill climb, suspension & traction, manoeuvrability, and water manoeuvrability events. The main event in the competition is the 4 hour endurance race where all teams race head-to-head on a single track.
Students from 1st to 4th year are encouraged to become involved with the team by assisting with manufacturing and vehicle testing. The team can be contacted by email at: baja@engmail.uwaterloo.ca or come visit us in our new shop in E5.
Engineering Jazz Band – With Respect to Time – Erin Matheson – B-Soc WRTT Conductor
Hey shiny and new class of 2015!
Did you play an instrument in a stage band during high school? Do you play an instrument and always wanted to join a stage band? Well are you ever in luck, because UW Engineering has its very own Jazz Band, called With Respect to Time (WRTT). There are lots of undergraduate Engineering students just like yourself who love music and couldn’t go through school without playing at all, which is why WRTT was formed in the first place just over five years ago! Haven’t played all summer? Not to worry, happens to the best of us! In fact, WRTT has never held auditions in its five year history, it’s just a friendly open environment for people to come out and play some sweet music together.
That being said, there is a small commitment associated with the band; we rehearse for about two hours every Sunday in the Student Life Centre, and section leaders hold weekly sectionals for about an hour during the week (practicing a little extra on the side doesn’t hurt either!). We also have lots of fun gigs throughout the term, including Engineering Society events, and our infamous end-of-term charity gig that we have during the last month of every term where we raise funds for a local charity. This summer, we raised over $300 and 35 pounds of food for the local Waterloo Food Bank!
If this sounds like something up your alley, then come out and listen to the band play at Monte Carlo in the outdoor courtyard of the Student Life Centre! We’ll have a sign up list where you can sign up if you’re interested in joining the band. Can’t make it out? Then e-mail admin@engjazzband.ca with your name, instrument and a brief outline of your playing experience, and we’ll forward you all the information you’ll need! You can also visit us at www.engjazzband.ca to catch the latest updates on the band. There will be a big meeting for everyone just to overview the term during the first week of classes, and we’ll have our first rehearsal the following weekend. Hope to see you guys there!
University of Waterloo Robotics Team – Craig MacKenzie
Did you cringe during Transformers every time a Decepticon was blown up? Do you secretly (or not-so-secretly) wish that you were Iron Man? Did you shed a single tear when WALL-E and EVE held hands? If so, the University of Waterloo Robotics Team is for you! The team focuses on autonomous navigation, with projects ranging from an autonomous sailboat to a mars rover (with UW Space Soc).
First year members are also invited to participate in our Mini-sumo Competition. Teams of 3 or 4 will work together to build a small robot capable of detecting other robots and pushing them out of a ring. No prior experience is required, we’ll give you everything you need (including lots of help) to get started with basic electronics, software and mechanical design.
So how do you get started? Our lab has recently relocated to the second floor of the E5 Student Design Center. Feel free to drop by, and keep your eyes open for posters advertising our recruitment meeting. Check out our website for more information (robotics.uwaterloo.ca) and we look forward to meeting you all!
UW Rocketry – William Hancharek
The UW Rocketry team is a subteam of the University of Waterloo Space Society, and one of Waterloo’s newest design teams. Started by three mechanical engineers one year ago, the UW Rocketry team now has members from a variety of disciplines, including computer and electrical engineers for design of the rocket control systems, chemical engineers for propulsion, and mechatronics and mechanical engineers for design of the rocket structure. Of course all disciplines are needed, and every extra brain is a huge help so don’t hesitate to drop by one of our meetings! We are currently looking for people interested in joining the Business team, Structural Team, Propulsion team, and the Build team.
If you join, you’ll be helping us to achieve our current goal, which is to win the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition in Utah which takes place every June. The goal of the competition is to make a rocket with a 10lb payload and send it to an altitude of exactly 10,000ft.
If you’re interested in getting involved, then just email us at uwrocketry@gmail.com, or visit our website at <sites.google.com/site/uwrocketry/home>
Sustainable Technology Education Project – Lawrence Yeh – STEP
Calling engineers of all stripes! The Sustainable Technology Education Project (STEP) designs, builds, and demonstrates the practicality of renewable energy technologies and wants first years to join and show their ingenuity – and okay, maybe save the world in the process!
STEP’s most popular exhibit is the bike generator, which demonstrates how much pedaling generates electricity that is usually taken for granted! Then there is the fully-operational photovoltaic installation on Fed Hall that collects solar energy. Ongoing projects include a solar thermal project to heat the water in the V1 Residences and a portable solar cooker.
Besides engineering work, STEP organizes fun events including the Green Bomber night, the R4 Fashion show, film screenings, guest speakers, and the annual Sustainability Bash. This year the Bash is on September 30th at the Bomber and a screening of the e2 design documentary will begin on Wednesday October 6th at 7 PM in the SLC Great Hall.
Other educational programs include the IEEE Frosh Wind Turbine Competition, tours of wind farms, and high school workshops through Waterloo Unlimited. Visit www.step.uwaterloo.ca or email step@feds.ca to get involved! STEP is looking for enthusiastic, semi-skilled, and totally-awesome volunteers!
Waterloo Space Team – Jason Hofgartner
The Waterloo Space Society (WSS) is a campus club that gives students interested in all aspects of aerospace a chance to come together to share their ideas. We host many events throughout the year including distinguished speakers, movie nights, astronomy observing, facility tours, sky-diving, camping and lots more! We also have six sub-teams that focus on specific space related activities.
1) Mars Rover Team
2) Waterloo Astronaut Training Corp (WATC)
3) Stargazers
4) Waterloo Rocketry Team (WRT)
5) WatSat
6) University of Waterloo Space Transport Advanced Research Team (UWSTART)
WSS brings together talented young students and we would be glad to have you on our team. For more information please visit us at www.spacesoc.uwaterloo.ca.
University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team – Eric Mallia
At the University of Waterloo’s Alternative Fuels Team (UWAFT), we’re designing, building, and marketing the hydrogen vehicles of the future. We have partnered with General Motors (GM), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and other notable sponsors across North America with the dream of building the nextEcoCAR. Not only does this challenge bring us in contact with industry leaders who want to see a greener tomorrow, it also acts as a framework for interacting with the general public. For this North American collegiate competition, we have chosen to re-engineer our GM-donated vehicle into a hydrogen fuel-cell plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that will have zero tail-pipe emissions. We use our work on this vehicle to educate students on-campus and in local elementary and high schools about green automotive technology. We also get to work with cutting-edge solutions from various competition sponsors in order to build and test our vehicle. We are entering the third year (of three) in the EcoCAR competition. Look out for us on campus or feel free to stop by the UWAFT garage in the new Student Design Centre (SDC) in Engineering 5.
Clean Snowmobile Team – Peter McClure
The UW Clean Snowmobile Team began in 2000, and competes every March in the SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge, typically held in Northern Michigan. We focus on designing and building a snowmobile that has lower fuel emissions, higher efficiency, and quieter operation than a stock snowmobile, without sacrificing speed or agility. We’re currently building our sled for the 2011 competition, which uses a lightweight chassis paired with a high output 4 stroke engine. Becoming a member of the team provides an opportunity to learn more about engine systems, emission controls, and chassis optimization, and gives you a chance to work hands-on and apply your skills. We’re currently looking for innovative and driven students from all disciplines for a number of technical and administrative roles. We’ll be holding an orientation meeting later in September, so if you’re interested in getting involved, check us out at http://sled.uwaterloo.ca, or send me an email at pmcclure@uwaterloo.ca.
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