May Meeting Bridge Climb

In lieu of meeting at Burgess & Niple on May 13th, we will be meeting at an abandoned bridge in Orient (south of Columbus). Here are bridge inspectors will show you how they inspect bridges and you all will have a chance to climb the bridge using rock climbing techniques.

Click here for directions. Also, RSVP to me (bmoore@burnip.com) no later than Monday, May 12th.

Scout Day at Rickenbacker

All Explorers are welcome to participate in Scout Day on June 12th (1:00 - 3:30) at Rickenbacker Airport (see directions below). Students will get a chance to tour a KC-135 "tanker" aircraft, meet pilots, and discover career oportunities. This event is free of charge.

Please RSVP by June 4th to Alyssa Fry at afry@skcbsa.org or by phone at 614.436.7200.

DIRECTIONS

• Rickenbacker is located south of Columbus.
• Take I-270 to the ALUM CREEK DRIVE EXIT and head SOUTH.
• Turn RIGHT on RICKENBACKER PARKWAY.
• Turn LEFT on 2ND STREET.
• Follow to the Air Guard Main Gate on your left.
• Turn LEFT into the installation onto RICKENBACKER DRIVE. You will need a photo identification (i.e. driver’s license or military ID) for the security check point.
• Turn LEFT at the stop sign onto MINUTEMAN WAY.
• Park between the two buildings on the Left.
• Go into building 2000, the entrance on the side of the building.
• Find the Wing Auditorium, first hallway on your Right.

Tour of Whittier Peninsula

Our next meeting will be a tour of the redeveloped Whittier Peninsula, just south of downtown Columbus. The Whittier Peninsula has been used for various industrial and commercial operations throughout its developed history. These historic operations include a railroad maintenance yard, asphalt and concrete facilities, warehouse storage units, a sand and gravel quarry, landfill operations, and city impound lot.

Through efforts from the City of Columbus, the Franklin County Metropolitan Parks District, and the Audubon Society of Ohio the Whittier Peninsula is currently being redeveloped to address environmental concerns, utilize the proximity to downtown Columbus, and revitalize the riverfront area. Redevelopment plans were created with the environment in mind utilizing natural attenuation through wetland features and “green energy” concepts. Currently redevelopment efforts continue and are in varying stages of completeness. Participants will be able to see first hand the progression of revitalization of a once less desirable area of Columbus.

A once almost forgotten portion of land within close proximity to downtown Columbus has evolved into the Lower Scioto Metro Park and will provide almost 90 acres of recreational areas, a “hands on” environmental education center, boat launch, and walking and bike trails. For more information, visit the web site at http://www.columbus.gov/whittier.asp.

We will meet at the project site on April 15th at 6:00 pm and the tour will conclude no later than 7:30 pm. Please see the attached PDF for parking directions. Also, if you plan on attending, RSVP to me (bmoore@burnip.com) no later than Monday, April 14th.

Since we will be meeting at the project site, there will be no food. Also, since this is a construction site, be sure to wear clothes and shoes/ boots that will get dirty. Hope to see you all next week.

WELDING and FORGING at OSU

Hello Engineering Explorers!

The welding lab is booked solid with classes this quarter at OSU. Therefore, note the CHANGED time.

We will gather at 6:30 pm at the USUAL place, Agricultural Engineering, with pizza in room 100, 590 Woody Hayes Dr., Columbus, OH 43210-1058. Please park ONLY in the parking spaces labeled "C/Student." Please sign in.

At 6:55 we will walk down the hallway to the Welding Lab that belongs to the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Thanks to the Buckeye Iron Mongers (BIM) we will have lots of hands-on help for another good Explorers meeting. You will pound glowing orange-hot metal into shape, cut steel with an oxy-acetylene torch and do a little Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) -- all in two hours.

To use the welding lab, please wear:*long-sleeve cotton shirt.*heavy cotton/twill pants (denim blue jeans).*Work boots or leather shoes are preferred. NO open-toe sandals or canvas tennis/athletic shoes allowed in the lab!*You may get a little dirty--save the good clothes for another meeting.

*ANSI-standard safety glasses from your school or home. Safety glasses may be borrowed from OSU.

We should be finished by 9:00 pm -- or so!

Please confirm your attendance by Tuesday afternoon (8 April 08) to me: gecik.1@osu.edu

Of course, you may e-mail your questions too!

Tour of ISP Chemicals & Meeting Date Change

In lieu of our March 25th meeting at Burgess & Niple, we have the exciting opportunity to tour the ISP Fine Chemicals plant here in Columbus on April 1st. The scientists and researchers at their Columbus operation are experts in producing complex synthetic and organic chemicals and polymers used in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, personal care, and other fine chemical markets.

The evening will begin at 6:00 pm at the ISP plant and conclude by 8:00 pm. Please arrive promptly since the program will begin on time. Parking is located in the front of the building. Also, since this is an operating plant, safety, security, and dress guidelines must be followed. Therefore, be sure to wear closed toe shoes and no sleeveless shirts in order to tour the plant. Hard hats and safety glasses will be provided.

We ask you to RSVP to Brian Moore no later than March 28th if you plan on attending. Also, if your parents plan to attend, indicate that in the RSVP.

Lastly, the plant is located at 1979 Atlas Street, Columbus, OH 43228 (click link for map).

I look forward to seeing you all on April 1st.

Explore OSU Scott Laboratory

We will gather at 6:00 pm at the USUAL place, Agricultural Engineering, with pizza in room 100, 590 Woody Hayes Dr., Columbus, OH 43210-1058. Please park ONLY in the parking spaces labeled "C/Student." Please sign in.

Promptly at 6:30 pm we'll take a campus bus to the new state-of-art Mechanical Engineering Scott Laboratory, 201 West 19th Avenue. There is NO parking on main campus, so make sure you catch the bus ride over--or be prepared to walk east on Woody Hayes for about 1/2 mile to main campus...

The group will split and rotate through several activities--you will be able to participate in all segments of the evening.

You will see the machine shop Computer Numerical Control (CNC) milling machine and rapid prototyping. You will machine your own Ohio State logo in plastic, and learn about how computers aid in manufacturing. You'll also get a demo on how the rapid prototyping machine works.

You'll look at the walking treadmill room and equipment, and see video of the robot actually walking on the treadmill. You'll get a quick tour of computer labs, stadium classroom, lounge, and instructional labs, and so on...

You'll learn how the design process works and how Mechanical Engineers are involved. Pogo sticks will be the subject of this discussion. You'll learn how engineers move frequency peaks around to make music more clear and sound better.

By 8:20 we should be back on the campus bus to arrive at Ag Engineering at 8:30 pm.

Please send an e-mail reply gecik.1@osu.edu that you will be attending the meeting by Tuesday afternoon, 11 March 2008, so that we may order pizza and arrange tour groups.

See you on Tuesday evening!

The Electric "______"

As a reminder, we will be meeting tomorrow (2/26) at Burgess & Niple. This week we will be exploring circuits and how they are utilized in civil engineering applications. It will prove to be an electrifrying experiment! Time permitting, we will also be taking a tour of B&N. During the tour we will discuss roadway, traffic, environmental, geotechnical, surveying, structures, and other areas of civil engineering.

Also, please RSVP to bmoore@burnip.com no later than Monday, February 25th. Our meeting will begin at 6:30 pm with food arriving at 6:00 pm.

Hope to see you there!