Engineering Innovation: UPEI Shines at AEC 2024
UPEI’s Engineering students at the AEC. Photo provided by UPEI Engineering Society.
UPEI’s Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering (FSDE) students showcased their passion for engineering and innovation at the 2024 Atlantic Engineering Competition (AEC), which took place from January 19th to 21st, 2024 at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). AEC is a student-led competition with roots dating back to 1983. The competition serves as a platform for engineering students from Atlantic universities to demonstrate their exceptional engineering skills, and the victorious teams qualify for the Canadian Engineering Competition, which is on a national level.
There were 200 student participants from nine universities competing at AEC 2024. UPEI contributed 40 talented students, divided into 11 individual teams that competed at the event. Six out of the 11 teams from UPEI won their respective competitions and qualified for the Canadian Engineering Competition (CEC), which will be held in Calgary, Alberta, around the first week of March.
Amongst the achievers from UPEI were:
- 1st place, Innovative Design: Aaron McCloskey, Spencer Blacquiere, Sophie Hayes, Ben McQuaid, Maddy Cronin, and Brett McQuaid.
- 2nd place, Innovative Design: Richard Hetherington, Morgan McLean, Elijah Dodd, Luke Jennings.
- 2nd place, Senior Design: Luke McCarvill, Matthew Dreise, Jason Nieuwhof, Elliott Fraser.
- 2nd place, Parliamentary Debate: Adiel Ngabo Rutabana, Lilly O’Rielly 2nd place, Re-
- Engineering: Berry Genge, Zachery Pendleton.
- 2nd place, Engineering Consulting: Victoria Keefe, Ellen O’Riell, Basil Nagy, and Aly Abdelhalim.
The junior design team, named Darlings Island, narrowly missed out on qualifying for the CEC, despite building an impressive bridge that could withstand 260 pounds using wooden sticks. The design was highly praised by the judges and sponsors, which included the UPEI Alumni Association, Engineering Society, and FSDE.
The team appreciated the learning experience and is motivated for future challenges. Jimmy Hulton, a member of Darlings Island, said, “The AEC competition was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in engineering. I got to meet students from across various universities in Atlantic Canada and apply my skills I’ve learned in my degree in a fun way. Despite my team not winning, we still had an amazing experience, and look forward to competing again in the future.”
The Cadre wishes all the best to the qualifying teams representing UPEI at the CEC this March. Their achievements not only exemplify excellence in engineering but also serve as inspiration for future generations of UPEI students to pursue their passions and strive for success on a national platform.