Creativity Conquers Pier Pressure

Creativity Conquers Pier Pressure
It can be made only of Popsicle sticks held together by Elmer's yellow wood glue, but it must be strong enough to withstand hundreds of pounds of pressure with minimal bending.

More than 30 students vied for a $60 top prize in the sixth-annual Middle School Bridge Design Competition on Saturday at Science Central. The contest is sponsored by the 2005 Engineer's Week Committee and the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. The goal of the contest is to introduce students to engineering through a hands-on experience, said John Kalb, youth outreach coordinator.

"Many of our young people by the time they reach the eighth grade have decided what they are going to do," he said.

A similar contest is for high school students. Kalb said the engineers group conducts the contests in hopes of attracting more female students and other underrepresented groups to the profession.

At first glance, the bridges look easy to assemble. The only materials needed are Popsicle sticks and glue. The rules state the sticks cannot be coated or painted, so contestants do not have to decorate the bridges.

Contestants must adhere to strict specifications when building the bridges for their work to qualify in the competition.

Only 200 sticks can be used to build the br