Schiavone Construction mentors NJIT engineering students: wins 1st place, on to nationals

SECAUCUS, N.J. – Engineering students from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Steel Bridge Team sponsored by Schiavone Construction Co. LLC won first place at the National Student Steel Bridge Competition Metropolitan Regionals and headed to the national championships at Clemson University, May 25-27th. This prestigious contest challenges students to design, fabricate and construct a reduced scale bridge, 1/10th the size of an actual bridge under heavy deadline pressures.

For the 7th consecutive year, Schiavone dedicates time, resources and their fabrication shop as the production site for the team’s model with many hours devoted to testing, monitoring and perfecting every detail. Under close supervision and strict attention to safety, the students have logged over 200 hours in the shop complying with the competition’s official guidelines, which are changed each year to create the real-life scenario that no two projects are ever identical. The team benefits from working with two of the company’s key departments: The Engineering Group and The Fabrication Division.

"There is no question that the continued success is due in large part to the Schiavone partnership with our Steel Bridge Team. We sincerely appreciate the endless support," acknowledged John Schuring, PhD., P.E., Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at NJIT.

Schiavone’s Engineering & Design Department served as technical advisors assisting in identifying and resolving potential defects and flaws with their design. Once the design has been optimized and the students are satisfied that they have a winning approach, Schiavone essentially opens its doors to its Fabrication Division Newark, NJ, which is in close proximity to NJIT. "They are ready to go! The team has already been hard at work preparing their design, assembling the collection of materials and coordinating the advisory meetings and fabrication shop schedule," said Paul Schisler, Schiavone Senior Design Engineer and team advisor from the SCC engineering department.