Victoria Kotevski, Cynthia Agbekodo, Dunya Assaf, Eman DannaweyMassey Secondary students assemble their model bridge: Victoria Kotevski, Cynthia Agbekodo, Dunya Assaf, and Eman Dannawey.

High schoolers apply science to model bridge challenge

Triangles are the sturdiest shape, says Dunya Assaf. That’s why she and her teammates chose it as the basis for their design of a model bridge.

“We’re trying to make it as sturdy and as long as possible,” said Assaf, a Grade 11 student at Vincent Massey Secondary School. “We made a base for the car to travel across and we’re incorporating triangles so it has a more stable surface.”

She and about 130 physics classmates came to the Centre for Engineering Innovation on Thursday to take part in a competition judged by representatives of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.

The students worked in teams to create designs and then execute them using craft sticks. The judges evaluated the bridges on three criteria: how closely the model resembled the design, how much weight it was able to bear, and how well it accommodated a model car driving across.

Mark Butler, director of communications with the bridge authority and one of the judges, called some of the designs “quite brilliant,” adding he was pleased to see young people take an interest in the engineering profession.

“A bridge is much more than just a function. There’s also a design and an aesthetic element as well,” he said.

“Engineering is an incredible field for the students to aspire to. The Gordie Howe International Bridge would not happen if it wasn’t for the hard work of engineers.”

Assaf’s teammate Eman Dannawey said she is considering pursuing mechanical engineering. The day’s events left her with a positive impression of engineering education.

“It’s fun to be able to do hands-on activities,” she said. “In class you’re always doing textbook learning, so it’s fun to actually put your learning into a hands-on experiment.”

Find an album of images from the day on the Windsor Engineering Facebook page.

Emily PrevostEmily Prevost will represent Lancer women’s basketball in the Ontario University Athletics all-star game on Saturday, April 29.

Game to showcase provincial all-stars in women’s basketball

Fourth-year forward Emily Prevost will represent the Lancer women’s basketball program in the Ontario University Athletics all-star game on Saturday, April 29, at York University.

Prevost, a first-team all-star, led the league in offensive and defensive rebounds, with 73 and 135, respectively. Her 14.5 points-per-game average topped the Lancers. Her prowess on the court and in the classroom earned her the 2017 DeMarco Award as the female Lancer best combining athletic and academic success.

Saturday’s game at the Tait McKenzie Centre in Toronto will start at 4 p.m. OUA.tv will carry a live webcast. Read the full story, including a list of all participating players, at goLancers.ca.

Campus to observe International Day of Mourning

The University of Windsor will commemorate workers that have died or have been injured because of their work, lowering campus flags Friday, April 28, in observance of the International Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job.

University of Windsor employees are also invited to observe a minute of silent reflection at 11 a.m. on Friday.

DailyNews to reduce publication schedule for summer

DailyNews will begin its summer publishing schedule next week, moving to three issues a week. The University of Windsor’s e-newsletter will publish Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays until it resumes daily publication September 5.

Editor Kevin Johnson asks contributors to keep the reduced frequency of publication in mind as they schedule submissions: “Be sure to give us more than a day’s notice if you’re promoting an event.”

He welcomes all story ideas and suggestions at Kevin.Johnson@uwindsor.ca.