More than 15 collegiate teams from the Eastern Great Lakes Region of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) are coming together at Michigan Tech from April 10-12 to compete in design, build, and performance contests that test their capabilities.
An academic year's worth of effort, built on a proud tradition of tenacity and competitive excellence, culminates in the 2025 Eastern Great Lakes Region ASCE Symposium hosted at Michigan Tech. Campus and community members are invited to come out April 10-12 and watch the action as university students from around the region demonstrate their skills.
The fastest. The strongest. The smartest design. It’s all on the line when university students from around the eastern Great Lakes compete in Concrete Canoe, Steel Bridge, and Timber Strong contests. More than 400 students from 15+ universities will put what they’ve designed and built to the test in judged exhibitions at Michigan Tech’s Gates Tennis Center and, weather permitting, at Houghton City Beach on the Keweenaw Waterway.
Michigan Tech has a long history of success in the ASCE steel bridge and concrete canoe competition, and has performed well in the relatively new Timber Strong contest. But this is the first time the University has hosted a regional qualifier for nationals—and our Husky Pride is in high gear as roughly 400 competitors and supporters from institutions of higher learning in Michigan and Ohio head to Tech. The Eastern Great Lakes Region ASCE Student Symposium is one of 22 being held around the nation. Winners will proceed to nationals.
The campus and the public are invited to join us April 10-12.
| Event | Day | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company Tables | Thurs - Sat, Apr 10 - 12, 2025 | 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. | Gates Tennis Center, adjacent to the Michigan Tech Student Development Complex (SDC) |
| Registration/Check In | Thurs, Apr 10, 2025 | 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB) Ballroom, Michigan Tech main campus |
| Concrete Canoe Presentations | Thurs, Apr 10, 2025 | 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB) Ballroom B until 12 p.m., Advanced Technology Development Complex (ATDC) from 1 - 4 p.m. |
| Symposium Paper Presentations | Thurs, Apr 10, 2025 | 12 - 4 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB) Ballroom B |
| Surveying Presentations/Displays | Thurs, Apr 10, 2025 | 12 - 3 p.m. | Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) Conference Room 202 |
| Construction Institution | Thurs, Apr 10, 2025 | 12:30 - 4 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB) Superior Room |
| Welcome Dinner | Thurs, Apr 10, 2025 | 5:30 - 8 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB) Ballroom |
| Concrete Canoe Stands and Displays | Fri, Apr 11, 2025 | 8 - 10 a.m. | Gates Tennis Center |
| Concrete Canoe Races/Swamp Testing | Fri, Apr 11, 2025 | 12 - 5 p.m. | “Chutes and Ladders” – Ray Kestner Waterfront Park, West Lakeshore Drive in Houghton |
| Surveying Competition | Fri, Apr 11, 2025 | 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Mont Ripley – 49051 Ski Hill Road in Hancock |
| Sustainable Solutions Presentations | Fri, Apr 11, 2025 | 12:20 - 1 p.m. | Noblet Forestry Building Room 144, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences |
| Water Treatment Competition | Fri, Apr 11, 2025 | 1 - 3 p.m. | Gates Tennis Center |
| ASCE Pop-Up Leadership Workshop: The FE Exam and the Path to the PE | Fri, Apr 11, 2025 | 4 - 5 p.m. | Noblet Forestry Building Room G002, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences |
| Steel Bridge Competition | Sat, Apr 12, 2025 | 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Gates Tennis Center |
| Timber Strong Competition | Sat, Apr 12, 2025 | 1 - 4 p.m. | Gates Tennis Center |
| Concrete Novelty | Sat, Apr 12, 2025 | 1 - 3 p.m. | Outside Gates Tennis Center |
| ASCE Pop-Up Leadership Workshop: What Would You Do? Ethics and Professional Conduct | Sat, Apr 12, 2025 | 3 - 4 p.m. | Noblet Forestry Building Room 144, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences |
| ASCE Pop-Up Leadership Workshop: What Is Your Personality Type? Understanding Each Other | Sat, Apr 12, 2025 | 4 - 5 p.m. | Noblet Forestry Building Room 144, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences |
| Banquet/Awards Ceremony, business casual attire is highly recommended | Sat, Apr 12, 2025 | 7 - 9:30 p.m. | John MacInnes Student Ice Arena, Michigan Tech Student Development Complex (SDC), parking in Lot 24 |
"I think students join Concrete Canoe because they want to have fun applying their engineering knowledge, but also because they want to be a part of a greater team. Leadership skills really grow on the team. There are so many opportunities for members to step up."
How to assemble a steel bridge in seven minutes or less.
"This competition is a part of our rich history as a Husky Nation, that shows the tenacity and success we share as Huskies, that we all should take pride in."
Check out what the teams are doing at this year's Eastern Great Lakes ASCE Student Symposium!
