OSU ASCE participates regularly in a number of outreach and service efforts within the OSU / Corvallis community and beyond. Below are some of the many efforts OSU ASCE has been involved in:

OUTREACH

OSU Engineering Expo
The chapter participates in the Engineering Expo sponsored each spring by the OSU College of Engineering, and demonstrates ASCE OSU student projects to high school students, parents and industry. Chapter members answer questions not only pertaining to ASCE, but also about the civil engineering program at OSU. 

College of Engineering Cookies and Clubs
The OSU College of Engineering organizes an annual club welcome to OSU for freshmen. OSU ASCE has a booth, introduces freshmen to ASCE and encourages them to join. 

CH2M/ OSU Model Bridge Contest
CH2M, in association with OSU ASCE and OSU's College of Engineering and School of Civil and Construction Engineering, hosts an annual model bridge contest. This contest requires high school students to make a basswood bridge to a specification with the intent to be as efficient as possible with the highest ratio of load carried to weight of the bridge. The 50th annual contest will be held in 2019. The contest is intended to promote interest in engineering and provides an opportunity for high school teachers to introduce the concepts of design and testing of engineering structures to their students. ASCE student chapter members volunteer their time and expertise to run the contest each year. 

Outreach to Schools

OSU ASCE has reached out to elementary and junior high students in a number of different ways to introduce them to civil engineering. Most recently this has been to Corvallis elementary students in the Family Science Nights. Demonstrations on earthquake effects on marshmallow structures and the "flinker" hydraulics challenge are some of the activities that have been included. Students from OSU ASCE have also gone to Coburg Charter School on their "activities day" to teach students about civil engineering concepts, including structures, hydrology and geotechnical engineering. The hands-on activity was a great way to teach students about engineering principles and the thought processes involved in design. 5th grade students from Liberty Elementary School have has field trips out to OSU to participate in ASCE-led bridge building activities. Basic engineering concepts were introduced and students had the opportunity to design their own bridge out of paper and test it under a given load. 

coburg bridges and beyond ch2m

 

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Nicaragua Water Sanitation System Projects
In 2013, the Growth International Volunteer Excursions (GIVE) organization approached former OSU ASCE president Elizabeth Hess with a proposal to design a water sanitation system to be constructed in Jiquilillo, Nicaragua. The community of Jiquilillo suffered from seasonal floods annually, resulting in the contamination of their water table. OSU ASCE, with the assistance of Dr. Mark Dolan and in partnership with GIVE and the community designed a sustainable biosand water filter to counter this problem. A team of OSU ASCE students traveled to Nicaragua to implement this solution. During their trip, the travel team spent several days working with a local expert and GIVE leaders to discuss alternatives to optimize the efficiency of the system. This project involved Environmental, Geotechnical, Fluid Mechanics, and Hydraulic Engineering considerations. 

In 2014, OSU ASCE sent a team of 7 students back to Nicaragua, this time to Little Corn Island. The design/build project involved a rainwater catchment system to provide supplementary clean water for an elementary/high school of 150 students and teachers. Analysis of site layout and planning, gathering of hydrologic data, foundation design, construction of a timber supporting structure for the tank, and water quality analysis were all involved. Professor Tyler Radniecki, an environmental engineering faculty member at OSU, provided valuable advice and support.

Sidewalk Replacement 
Together with AGC, OSU ASCE have replaced sections of sidewalk over several years on the OSU campus, combining the groups' strengths in a very practical effort that was needed to improve safety for pedestrians.

ASCE and AGC Habitat for Humanity Workdays
OSU ASCE partners with the AGC (Associated General Contractors of America) student chapter to volunteer at local Habitat for Humanity workdays, emphasizing teamwork, student collaboration, and basic construction and safety skills.

Gifts at Christmas-time
OSU ASCE students have participated in the Prison Fellowship Angel Tree program to provide gifts for children of prisoners and also in the LoveINC effort to provide gifts to families who who would be without at Christmas.

ASCE Clothing and Shoe Drive
The chapter has held clothing and shoe drives to donate lightly used and new items to local Corvallis charities. 

       Nic2013 2013 Sidewalk