Bridge Building Competition Returns to Vermont Tech

Vermont Technical College announces the return of its popular Bridge Building competition with a high school event on Thursday, March 17, and a middle school event on Thursday, March 31, 2022.

The events will be held in Judd Hall at Vermont Tech’s Randolph campus. Due to COVID-19 precautions, participation will be restricted to students who built the bridges and their advisors. Lunch will not be offered.

Why model bridges?

Model bridges promote the study and application of physics and engineering and help students develop hands-on skills. Participating students experience what it is like to be an engineer, designing structures to a set of specifications and then testing their functionality.

Teams of students construct bridges in advance of the competition—using only popsicle sticks, Elmer’s glue, toothpicks, and dental floss. Bridges are judged on aesthetics and originality of design, presentation, ultimate load carrying capacity, strength-to-weight ratio, and predicted failure point. Teams consist of 1-6 students.

The competition is designed for students and teachers interested in math, science, physics, research, and engineering. Teams receive awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place as well as awards for aesthetics, presentations, bridge designs, and team spirit.

John Diebold, professor in Vermont Tech’ Civil and Environmental Engineering Technology program, has been involved in planning the competition since its inception in 2015. Over the years, he has witnessed the excitement and enthusiasm of the students.

“It is a great way to showcase the college and the program,” he said. VTC students serve as ambassadors—escorting teams over to the “crusher” to check span and height. The “crusher” is a hydraulic cylinder applied to the deck of the bridge to see what the bridge can hold—a moment of excitement for all involved. Check out the video from 2018’s event.

Diebold has seen middle school groups create bridges that have held up to 2,700 pounds, and high school groups create bridges that have held up to 4,900 pounds.

Vermont Teachers Design Curricula Around the Competition

Teachers in high schools and middle schools throughout Vermont return each year to the competition, and some even design their curricula around the event.

Vicki Johnson from Randolph Union High School has had engineering students from all grade levels participate in the event since its inception. Her engineering units focus on structures, so students can apply their knowledge to the competition. “Students are always excited when they get there,” she said. “They get to see students from other schools, the bridges they’ve built, and effective designs being implemented right in front of them.”

ML McLaughlin from Barre Town Middle School and Elementary has also been bringing her eighth graders to the competition since its start. Groups of four students begin their designs in October. “It is a great way for students to learn to work out conflict, problem-solve as a group, and see a project from conception to completion. Students have said they have never felt more accomplished in their lives after the competition,” she said.

In past years, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VAT) has provided funding for the event and its engineers have served as judges.

“It brings people out of the office and into the community,” Carolyn Cota at VAT said. “It sparks interest in STEM and engineering—that’s what it’s all about.”

Interested in signing up for the event? Check out our event page for more information on how to register.

Class of 2021 Achieves 99% Placement Rate

Vermont Technical College’s graduating class of 2021 achieved a 99% placement rate, reflecting that they are either employed or enrolled in continuing education programs after completing their certificate or degree. Since 2014, Vermont Technical College has had an average placement rate of more than 97%. As in years past, 98% of Vermont Technical College’s graduates in the class of 2021 are working in their field of study.

Coupled with the best return on investment of any higher education institution in Vermont according to a new study from Georgetown University, Vermont Technical College’s pillar remains its support of the State of Vermont’s workforce needs.

“This achievement affirms that our programs, and graduates, are in high demand,” said Karry Booska, director of Career Development at Vermont Tech. Vermont Technical College’s annual placement rate is calculated by a six-month outcome survey conducted by the college’s Office of Career Development.

The majority of survey respondents reported employment or continuing education in nursing and health professions, followed by engineering and computing, professional studies and management, and agricultural, plant, and life sciences.

“To the class of 2021, who persevered in the face of phenomenal challenges, we are so very proud of you, congratulations” said Patricia Moulton, president at Vermont Technical College. “We are so pleased to see you already changing the world in such a positive way.”

VTC, UVM, UMaine Win $4 Million NSF Grant to Create Next Gen Sensor Networks for Infrastructure Monitoring

Program Also Aims to Spur New Manufacturing Sector in Vermont, Maine and Develop Workforce to Serve It

BURLINGTON, Vt. — As the U.S. Congress deliberates over legislation that would massively upgrade the country’s aging infrastructure, researchers at the University of Vermont, the University of Maine and Vermont Technical College have received a $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop and test new technologies that could make monitoring the safety and performance of infrastructure less expensive, more accurate and more widespread, resulting in more dependable, durable structures in the future.

The project also addresses human infrastructure, as the national legislation proposes to do, through engaging a group of faculty, graduate students and undergraduates at the three schools to create a trained workforce that could design and manufacture the new technologies the research project will develop and make use of.  K-12 students will also participate.

The project’s key contribution will be to develop and deploy wireless sensor networks that can be quickly and cheaply imbedded in existing infrastructure and built into new structures that will relay a wealth of data about the structure’s integrity to cloud-based servers via Internet of Things technology. The current generation of infrastructure sensors conveys information through cables, often fixed in conduits, that make deploying them expensive, limit their placement within a structure and make moving them difficult.

The new system will also use emerging 5G networks, which allow much greater rates of data transmission and more flexibility in how sensors communicate with the cloud and with one another, resulting in a significantly richer data flow. The system will also employ AI-enabled microrobots able to place the sensors in small or inaccessible spots that humans can’t reach.

“These advanced technologies are a game-changer; they will leap-frog the legacy equipment we currently use to measure the performance of infrastructure and allow us to much more effectively monitor the safety of many more structures in the future,” said Dryver Huston, principal investigator and professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Vermont. “There is a real need for these technologies nationally and globally, and real potential for Vermont and Maine to take the lead in developing a manufacturing sector to serve it.”

“This will indeed be transformative,” said co-principal investigator Eric Landis, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maine. “Sensing and data analysis capabilities are advancing at a very fast pace.  This project will accelerate field implementation of the new technologies in a way that will benefit the public.”

“These technologies are needed as we look towards upgrading our critical infrastructure, and understanding the land changes that, more and more, impact that critical infrastructure,” said Mary O’Leary, co-principal investigator and chair of the Civil & Environmental Engineering Technology at Vermont Technical College. “It’s wonderful that Vermont and Maine will be collaborators and leaders in investigating and addressing these challenges. We look forward to the partnership of faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students, and the sharing of resources and knowledge with K-12 students in both states.”

Because the new technology is flexible and inexpensive to install, structures large and small will be able to make use of it. By and large, only monumental infrastructure like large bridges, buildings, dams and mines, where failure would result in catastrophic loss of life, use sensors today.

Another key advantage of the low cost of the wireless system—sensor networks could be installed ubiquitously in projects as they are being built, when problems they uncover during the construction process can be easily fixed, preventing harder-to-address and potentially dangerous problems down the road.

Technology will be developed and deployed in testbeds located throughout region

The researchers will create and study the technology they are developing by deploying it in a series of testbeds in locations throughout Vermont and Maine, each examining a different infrastructure element.

Areas the testbeds will cover include:

  • Coastal structures like wind turbines. Sensors will also be placed in estuaries to predict storm surges and extreme events.
  • Subsurface infrastructure like water and sewer pipes, telecommunications and power grids, culverts and tunnels.
  • Highway structures like roads, bridges and overpasses.
  • Installations on mountains and hillsides that would give advance warning of landslides.

Locations for the testbeds will be determined in the early months of the four-year project.  Faculty and students will assist with the development and deployment of the sensor networks at the testbeds.

The project envisions applications that significantly advance how and where monitoring is currently done. For instance, researchers plan to develop insect-like, sensor-carrying AI-controlled drones, swarms of which would monitor highway infrastructure. They also plan to imbed sensors in offshore, floating wind turbines, taking advantage of the much greater information flow the system makes possible to test the structures under varying wind, current and wave combinations, a highly complex set of interacting data.

The project builds on the complementary expertise of researchers at the three schools. UVM’s Huston has expertise in structural health monitoring, electromagnetic sensing, and electromagnetic systems, for instance. The University of Maine’s Landis is expert in infrastructure durability, monitoring and advanced fabrication techniques. VTC’s O’Leary has expertise in stormwater management and hydrology.

The research project will be closely connected with local communities in both Vermont and Maine. Researchers will partner with community members in identifying problems to pursue. In addition, the project will form an advisory panel of industry and governmental stakeholders who will provide guidance on project activities and on hiring and training decisions.

Opening for Fall 2021

August 11, 2021

Effective Friday, August 13 all faculty, staff, students, and visitors are required to wear a mask when indoors on campus at any Vermont Tech location.

This is in accordance with the CDC’s latest recommendations. This decision follows our recent announcement to mandate a COVID-19 vaccine of all enrolled students.

The latest research on the Delta variant shows that even a high vaccination level is probably not enough, by itself, to prevent significant infections on college campuses. As such, each of us donning a mask embodies the Vermont Tech’s values because it strengthens our ability to hold in-person classes and activities and it protects our friends who may be immunocompromised or have unvaccinated children at home.

The new Delta variant has the potential to infect people with the vaccine. The good news is that those who are vaccinated are much less likely to have severe symptoms, so the vaccine is working. But it is spreading more with this new variant. The CDC has recommended masks be worn indoors even by people who are vaccinated in high risk counties. A majority of the counties in Vermont have become high risk. To help mitigate the risk, the VSC system has implemented the mask mandate on all campuses.

No mask is required if working alone, such as in your office, or for on-campus residents when in their room alone or with their roommates. Everyone should have a mask ready for when conditions warrant their use.

July 30, 2021

Vermont Technical College now requires COVID-19 vaccination for all students enrolled during the 2021-2022 Academic Year. To be in full compliance a student must complete one of the following options before 8:00 am on August 23, 2021:

  • Submit a copy of their completed COVID-19 vaccination record. Please review the vaccination information to submit your vaccine; OR
  • Submit a request for exemption (only documented medical conditions or strict religious beliefs qualify for exemptions). Anyone on campus who is not vaccinated is expected to wear a mask indoors and to social distance (6 feet apart) from others, OR
  • Submit a copy of their vaccination record confirming the first COVID-19 vaccine was administered prior to August 23, 2021, indicate the scheduled date of the second shot (if applicable), and their agreement to complete the full vaccine protocol, OR
  • Submit a signed written statement (include name and Vermont Technical College ID number) to studentaffairs@vtc.edu stating they will not come on to the physical campus for any reason during the 2021-2022 academic year due to their taking classes exclusively online.

The goal is to maximize the number of vaccinated individuals for the safety of the entire Vermont Technical College community. Failure to be in compliance by August 23, 2021 will jeopardize the student’s ability to be present on campus for any reason. Please review information on vaccine availability in Vermont or in your home state.

July 22, 2021

Today, Chancellor Zdatny shared news from the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees:

The Executive Committee of the Vermont State Colleges System Board of Trustees voted this afternoon to require COVID-19 vaccination for all students enrolled in the 2021-2022 Academic Year. The safety of our students, employees, and local community members is our top priority as we continue to respond to the ongoing pandemic.

Our goal remains for all members of the VSCS community who are able to be vaccinated to get vaccinated. We urge you to make every effort to complete your vaccination as soon as possible. Requests for medical and religious exemptions will be considered in accordance with Vermont law. Today’s decision by the Executive Committee does not apply to students who will not come on to the physical campuses for any reason during the 2021-2022 academic year, such as those who are taking classes exclusively online.

Any necessary updated guidance will be distributed to you shortly on how to report your vaccination status and we look forward to welcoming you back to classes next month.

If you should have any questions in the meantime, please reach out to your Dean of Students.

The resolution is posted on the VSC website.

Summer 2021

Because of our community’s tremendous effort and sacrifice, we are increasingly confident in providing a campus and academic experience that is much closer to our traditional operations. While we don’t yet have all of the details, we eagerly anticipate a much-improved public health situation and a significant reduction in state mandates and restrictions this fall.

We strongly encourage everyone – students, alumni, staff and faculty – to get vaccinated. As a reminder, we will mandate the vaccine for enrolled students once vaccines are approved for permanent approval by the FDA. This will be in addition to the other vaccines currently required by the Vermont Department of Health. Once the COVID-19 vaccine is required, requests for medical and religious exemptions will be considered, in accordance with Vermont law.

March 1, 2020

After more than a year of modified instruction and limited campus housing, President Patricia Moulton has announced the college’s intention to return to full in-person academic schedules for the fall of 2021. To serve the needs of students by providing our uniquely applied educational format, the college will reinstate a full contingent of in-person classes and labs in the fall. Many clinical experiences have continued throughout the pandemic for our health majors, and will also be offered in-person in the fall.

“I have been very impressed by our college community’s ability this past year to adapt and pivot to meet the guidelines of the State, the CDC and the Vermont Department of Health while meeting the educational needs of our students,” says President Moulton. “I am looking forward, however, to returning to a sense of normalcy and togetherness as we set our sights on reopening fall 2021.”

As of this writing, the academic calendar for fall 2021 will not be modified to condense the schedule for the purpose of returning students to their home communities after the Thanksgiving break. Remote learning will not be the dominant delivery format for all courses. The college’s portfolio of online and hybrid courses will be available as they were pre-pandemic.  Residential housing will continue to be offered on both the Randolph Center and Williston campuses for fall 2021.

This plan will continue to be based on the shared responsibility of our entire community to adhere to any remaining safety measures and follow protocols during the coming academic year. We can likely expect that we will continue to wear masks and practice forms of social distancing into 2022. However, the trends in cases and vaccinations has led us the conclusion that our fall reopening plans are viable to return us to our campuses, classrooms and in-person labs.

More details about housing options and the academic calendar will be rolled out during the spring semester. Departments and offices will work to formalize details in the coming months.

 

Vermont State Colleges Students Eligible for New Scholarships

Today, the Vermont State Colleges System Board Chair, Chancellor, and Presidents held a press conference to announce the new legislation that creates several scholarship programs for Vermonters. Thanks to the Legislature and Governor, Vermont is funding several incredible opportunities for high school graduates and adult learners at the Vermont State Colleges this year. We are grateful, especially to the Legislature, for their prioritization of higher and continuing education and workforce development in their strategy for allocation of the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.

These scholarships total a $15 million investment in Vermont students. This helps address the affordability of public higher education. We are thrilled that our students are reaping the rewards of this tremendous opportunity this year.

The new scholarship initiatives are

  • Welcome Home / Transfer Scholarship – for Vermonters who were attending an out-of-state college or who exited a VSC institution in 2020-2021.
    • This scholarship award is up to $5,000 for full-time students and $3,000 for part-time students per year to cover tuition, room and board, and fees.
  • Degree Completion Scholarship – for Vermonters who have earned at least 40 college credits and have a gap in their education of at least two years.
    • This scholarship is a ‘last-dollar’ scholarship, meaning it covers any remaining balance after all state and federal gift aid is applied.
  • Free Tuition Scholarship – for students entering or returning to programs identified as ‘Critical Occupations’ in the legislation, including healthcare programs and the McClure Best Bet programs.
    • This scholarship is a ‘last-dollar’ scholarship, meaning it covers any remaining balance after all state and federal gift aid is applied.
    • July 16, 2021: Due to response volume paired with limited State funding, this program’s awarding is paused at Vermont Tech, Castleton University, and Northern Vermont University, with the exception of our Paramedicine Program. Students admitted prior to this date are being awarded existing funds. Your continued interest is encouraged, while we work to secure additional funding. Please stay tuned. Scholarship programs above and the VSAC scholarships are unaffected by this pause.

VSAC also joined the press conference to present their state-funded initiative that also apply to students interested in taking a course tuition-free at one of the Vermont State Colleges System institutions: Green Mountain Grad and 802 Opportunity Grant. These programs are both provided by VSAC.

The press conference streaming archive is available on the VSC YouTube channel.

Vermont Tech Named in Newsweek’s Top 100 “Most Bang For Your Buck” Colleges

Vermont Tech is flying high, and it’s not just among its Professional Pilot program students. The college has been included in Newsweek Magazine’s The 100 Community Colleges With the Most Bang For Your Buck list. Ranking at 39, Vermont Tech is cited for the $1,050,000 40-year net present value, or a comparison of investing in a Vermont Tech education to future value. The $1M-plus value is a combination of affordable tuition and high earnings potential for the professional programs of the college.

Vermont Tech was included on the community college list for its portfolio of associate degree programs, but was also noted for offering, “programs ranging from certificate to associate and bachelor’s degrees.” The college also offers a Master’s in Software Engineering.

Another notable correction to the article is that graduates of Vermont Tech have historically achieved a 99% placement rate over the last five years, including the Class of 2020 that graduated into a pandemic. The Career Services webpage shows the rates back to the Class of 2016.

The Newsweek list is based on data derived from the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University in their First Try at ROI study.

Vermont Tech Knights Golf in Engineering Society Tournament

Patrick Melvin (BS.EET), Ronnie Corey (AE.MEC), and Quinn Munns (BS.EET) represented Vermont Tech at the annual Vermont Society of Engineers (VSE) Golf Tournament at Cedar Knoll Country Club in Hinesburg, Vermont on September 25, 2020. The annual VSE tournament raises funds for scholarships to engineering students at Vermont Tech, Norwich University, and the University of Vermont. Although most contestants are working engineers, the VSE encourages a student team from each of Vermont’s engineering schools to compete. The prize for the winning student team is a rotating trophy kept in their possession for a year.

Professor Scott A. Sabol, P.E., a VSE member, sponsors the Vermont Tech team’s participation. This year, the students enjoyed a round of golf, good food, and the opportunity to network with engineering professionals. Alas, they did not bring home the trophy (Norwich did), so the rivalry continues for next year.

Student names from past Vermont Tech teams that won the tourney are on display in SHAPE. Former student golfers who return to campus are known to check out their own place in golf history during visits.

Choose Vermont Scholarship Program

Vermont Tech is pleased to announce the 2nd annual Choose Vermont Scholarship program has launched! The Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation and 13 Vermont colleges and universities, including Vermont Tech, are partnering in the 2020 Choose Vermont Scholarship Program, which will award $60,000 in scholarship money to students who commit to attend a Vermont school by June 1.  Both out-of-state and Vermont students are eligible to enter.

The program was developed through a partnership across Vermont’s higher education sector to market Vermont as a top destination for attending college.  The campaign targets students already accepted to a Vermont school, encouraging them to take the next step and “Choose Vermont.”

“As we work to grow our workforce and help Vermonters in their careers, our higher education system plays a critical role,” said Governor Phil Scott. “These institutions, however, are feeling the effects of Vermont’s demographic crisis and declining enrollment. It’s a testament to Vermonters’ ingenuity and collaboration that public and private partners are willing to work together to pool marketing resources and highlight the state as an ideal location for higher education.”

“The variety of higher education institutions we have in Vermont makes it a wonderful landscape for attending college. Whether you are looking for a top liberal arts school or learning a trade at a technical school, Vermont has it all,” said Ted Brady, Deputy Secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. “Couple that with tremendous access to outdoor recreation, the arts, and welcoming and vibrant communities, and it all adds up to an incredible place to attend college.”

Students who commit to attend one of the 13 participating Vermont schools between January 1, 2020 and June 1, 2020 and then register at ThinkVermont.com/scholarship will become eligible to win a $5,000 scholarship to their school.  The Vermont Student Assistance Corporation will offer an additional $5,000 scholarship to a student who commits to any of the 13 participating schools.

The inaugural Choose Vermont Scholarship Program was launched in May of 2019, giving away two $5,000 scholarships and drawing over 1,400 entries.  The success of that program led to more scholarship funding from colleges statewide for the 2020 program.

The Choose Vermont Scholarship Program is made possible by Vermont’s participating colleges and universities along with the support of the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, the Association of Vermont Independent Colleges, and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development.

For full details and to find participating schools: https://www.thinkvermont.com/scholarship