Engineers tie for first place at conference in Croatia

Two WMU engineering students traveled this summer to Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia, to attend the International Summer Conference of Civil Engineering Students. Tyler Bayne and Eric Pietrowicz have been working with Dr. Pnina Ari-Gur, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, on her National Science Foundation (NSF) research grant, and tied for the first place prize at the conference with their presentations of 3D virtual laboratory projects. 

Bayne, a recent WMU graduate with an M.S. in computer engineering, presented a virtual concrete compression test.  Pietrowicz, a senior in electrical engineering, presented a virtual asphalt viscosity test. Bayne’s travel was supported by a graduate travel grant he earned from WMU’s graduate college, while Pietrowicz’s travel was assisted by funds from Ari-Gur’s research, the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and the Office of the Vice President for Research.

The complete set of interactive virtual laboratories was developed by a team directed by Ari-Gur and was supported by two research grants from Hewlett Packard, in addition to the award from NSF. The virtual laboratories were integrated into the coursework at WMU and distributed to more than 110 institutions in the U.S. and around the globe. Both Bayne and Pietrowicz received Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards for their work with the 3D virtual laboratory project.

The civil engineering conference attracted attendees from six different countries and included many activities around the city of Osijek, including a historical tour and cultural night featuring traditional foods and entertainment from each country. “It was a fantastic week-long experience for us and we made many new friends,” Bayne said.

Pietrowicz said it was an honor to represent Western and encouraged other WMU students to attend the conference in the future and present their civil engineering related projects.