WWU Team Receives Honorable Mention in Environmental Innovation Challenge

Contact:  Janet Braun, Western Washington University’s Society of Manufacturing Engineers adviser, at (360) 650-3447 or janet.braun@wwu.edu

BELLINGHAM – Western Washington University students received second place in the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Manufacturing Challenge on March 19 in Long Beach, Calif.

The team consisted of 15 members, who worked to create a manufacturing process for an item.  This year the team created a composite tackle box for fishing flies that was made out of carbon fiber.

Members of SME worked with students in the Industrial Design and the Plastics Engineering Technology Department to create the fly box.

Teams were judged on the completeness of the manufacturing plan they created, including design and creativity, manufacturability, project management and documentation.

The members who represented the team in California were Chelsea Jann (Mount Vernon), Clayton Button (Poulsbo), Trevor Torres (Bainbridge Island), Kate Novich (Bellingham), Oliver Navarro (Bellevue) Caitlin Boone (Bainbridge Island), and Leroy Mwangi (Kent), and are all majoring in Manufacturing Engineering Technology.

The other members who worked on the project but weren’t able to attend the conference were Sungho Im (Bellevue), Robert Mills (Bellingham), Alex Streck (Mercer Island) and Joshua Ku (Shoreline), who are all majoring in Manufacturing Engineering Technology; Chris Sladek (Tacoma) and Nathaniel Nudelam (Mercer Island), who are majoring in Plastics Engineering Technology Department; and Katie Utgaard (Auburn) and Keegan Hall (Gig Harbor) who are majoring in Industrial Design.

For more information please contact Janet Braun at (360) 650-3447 or janet.braun@wwu.edu.