The Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 1 held their regional competition this past weekend and Clarkson’s Construction Management SPEED team placed second in the Pre-construction category. This marks the sixth year in a row that Clarkson Construction Engineering Management (CEM) has had a team place at the regional competition level, with the program taking second place nationally in 2019.
The CEM program sent two teams, one for Heavy-Civil and the other for the Pre-construction category in this annual event. The Heavy-Civil team was represented well by Project Manager Brittany Condon ‘22, civil engineering, and members Ben Goodrich ‘22 civil engineering, Robert Schnieder ‘23, civil engineering, Kelly Kilgallen ‘23 civil engineering, and Andy Crawford ‘22, civil engineering. Despite not placing, they submitted their firm fixed price bid for a combined sewer outfall screening facility on the lower Hudson River, at an accuracy level of within 0.4% of the actual contract amount that was awarded to the judging firm Weeks Marine; an impressive feat for students at their level. The Pre-construction team, led by Project manager Sean Donnelly ‘23 civil engineering, with members Josh Adams ‘22, engineering & management, Jake Wehr ‘22, engineering & management, Josh Zehr ‘22 engineering & management, and Laurie Gibson a Northumbria University Exchange Student, put together an impressive proposal detailing the complicated construction plan for the Lincoln School Complex in Lincoln, MA that is currently in construction by Consigli Construction. Clarkson's team was able to provide a very accurate estimate for the costs as well as having an impressive and well-defined sequencing plan that resulted in no lost school days throughout the project plan.
Thanks to the success at the regional level, Clarkson is registered and planning on competing for the national title in the Pre-construction category, at an event which is set for Sparks, NV, on February 9-12, 2022.
Clarkson’s CEM program is heavily supported by numerous corporate sponsors and partners that have pushed it to national prominence. For instance, in preparation for this year’s competition, Mr. Tom Ross ‘09, civil engineering, of Gilbane Construction, as well as Mr. Erik Gundel ‘89, civil engineering, and Ms. Victoria Peterson ‘17, civil engineering, of CEM Program Corporate Sponsor Kiewit Construction, served as pre-competition mentors for the respective Pre-construction and Heavy Civil Teams. In addition, CEM Corporate Partner Harrison & Burrowes stepped in to underwrite the competition expenses for the CEM SPEED Teams again this year. Distinguished Service Professor Mr. Spence Thew ‘63 civil engineering, MS ‘71, as well as Adjunct Faculty Jim Billings ‘78, civil engineering, Jim Thew, and George Kansas ‘97, civil engineering, also assisted with guest judging the several practice runs that were held prior to the competition.
Professor Erik Backus ‘97, civil engineering, Professor of Practice & Howard E. Lechler ’48, MS ’52, HD ’78 Endowed Director of the Construction Engineering Management Program, who was the lead coach for this year’s teams, was elected to be the new ASC Region 1 Director. Backus will take the helm of the region at the end of April next year, for a 3-year term of office. In addition to hosting this competition, the region also facilitates ongoing construction education & research opportunities in higher education from Quebec to Virginia and from Pittsburgh to Boston.
