Institution news
The SoFE competition is a key event in the IMechE Global network that provides a platform for early career professionals and students to showcase their presenting skills on technical engineering topics.
The event kicked off with introductions from Jim Cowling, Chair of IMechE Texas Group and an introductory presentation on the IMechE, membership and professional registration from Tom Owen, IMechE International Business Development Manager. America’s Region Young Member Representative, William Hesser, hosted the competition, explaining the history of the competition and the entrants.
The participants were:
- Eric Skinner – Wireless Charging
- Cesar Moreno – Assessment to Bolted Assemblies
- Hector Bonilla - Computational Fluid Dynamic Model of PIG Motion in Pipelines
- Jason Arnold - Team Harvey Hybrid SAE Formula Hybrid Project
- Sergio Baron - The Wall Automatic Spray Painter
Entrants were given 20 minutes to present and 10 minutes for questions from the audience.
All competitors delivered excellent, well-prepared presentations in a professional manner. The use of graphics, videos and text supported the technical content and challenge of the topics.
The judging panel of Jim Cowling, Chair of IMechE Texas Group, Tom McCusker, Vice Chair of IMechE Texas Group and Tom Owen, IMechE International Business Development Manager, had significant deliberations to decide the winner.
The first position was awarded to Cesar Moreno for his presentation Assessment to Bolted Assemblies, an industry-based project assessing how Direct Tension Indicators (DTIs) might enable a new bolting pattern to be used in industry.
The second position was awarded to Jason Arnold for his presentation on the challenges and technical developments of the Team Harvey Hybrid SAE Formula Hybrid Project.
The competition was well received by the attendees, providing an excellent networking opportunity, with food provided by the Texas Group. The event was a great success.
The winner will go forward to the America’s Regional Final to compete against winners from the other America’s region heats.
Special thanks to William Hesser, Jon Fulbright, and Tom McCusker for planning the competition and confirming the arrangements. Extra thanks to UH Professor Raresh Pascali for his ongoing support of the IMechE Texas Group; many of the presenters first learned of the IMechE and SOfE competition in his classes.
This was the second Texas Group engagement of the week, following a Professional Review Interview and mentor training session hosted by Bechtel on the 16 April which were attended by 12 Members and Fellows. The Texas Group has become a hub for PRIs in the USA and the training session was the first opportunity for a large group of PRI interviews to meet for refresher or initial training.