Guam – GHD Inc. and the University of Guam Endowment Foundation (UOGEF) in conjunction with the Guam Society of Professional Engineers (GSPE) and the Guam Chapter of the Society of Military Engineers (SAME) hosted the First Annual H. Deal Gillham Pasta Bridge Building Competition on May 18, at the Jesus and Eugenia Leon Guerrero Business and Public Administration Building on the UOG campus.
There were 16 bridges entered into the competition from GW, JFK, and Simon Sanchez High Schools. Engineers from Brown and Caldwell, Duenas Camacho and Associates, and Architect Andy Laguana from Laguana & Associates attended the event to assist with judging and to enjoy the event. In addition, Tiger Gillham, of GK2 attended and is the son of Dean Gillham whom the competition is named after.
[L-R: Paul Baron, GHD Pacific Business Group Manager; Dr. Robert Underwood, President of UOG; Mrs. Gillham, Mr. Dean Gillham’s wife; Mrs. Remengesau, Tiger Gillham’s mother; Tiger Gillham, President of GK2 and Mr. Dean Gillham’s son; Mark Mendiola, Executive Director of UOG Endowment Foundation]
First place went to John Delfin and Littaney De Leon Guerrero of Simon Sanchez High School. Their bridge held over 300 pounds and still held together and could not be completely broken by the loading device. Second place went to Team Flying Spaghetti Monster. Joshua Laurente, Sierra Daughtry and Taylor Tenorio of George Washington High School for the “Highest Strength-to-Weight Ratio”. Their bridge held over 200 pounds and only weighed 8 ounces. Third place went to Team Pasta Limit, Dustin Daleno, Vince Cortez, Casey Omelao and Renz Legaspi from George Washington High School for the most aesthetic bridge. Judge Andy Laguana noted that designers should always consider minimizing impacts to the environment, even visually and that this bridge was chosen because it exhibited simplicity and elegance in its design.
GHD is an Industry Leader for the Architectural and Engineering community for UOG’s five-year capital fundraising campaign to support the construction of UOG’s School of Engineering and other facilities. According to Paul Baron of GHD, “Events like this bridge building competition show the talent we have on Guam and introduces high school students to engineering and the possibility of getting an engineering degree at UOG.
The UOG Endowment Foundation is seeking support from other engineering and architecture firms on Guam to support the capital fundraising campaign which will ultimately benefit Guam students desiring to pursue a major in engineering or other technically-related fields. If you would like to know more information about the University of Guam’s Capital Campaign or how to become a 21st-Century Leader, please contact UOG Endowment Foundation at 735-2956.
