2013 GREEN ENERGY CHALLENGE YSU team wins NECA event’s poster competition

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown State University students beat out teams from 15 other universities and won the poster portion of the 2013 Green Energy Challenge at the National Electrical Contractors Association Convention in Washington, D.C., earlier this year.

The YSU team, which bested teams from around the nation including Penn State and Purdue universities, was represented by David Wright, Nick Gealy, Kaylin Celedonia, Bob Page and Ethan Parks. The team’s adviser is Ted Bosela, YSU professor of engineering technology.

“We’ve certainly enjoyed our share of success at this national competition, and it’s reflective of the classroom instruction and fieldwork perspective we receive from the university and industry partners that work with us,” said Parks, a member of YSU’s student NECA team.

The poster competition involves creating a visual depiction of the team’s proposal for the annual Green Energy Challenge, which this year solicited students’ ideas for improving the energy efficiency of parking structures on their respective campuses. The YSU team developed a program for the M-1 parking deck on Wick Avenue, and the university is looking at implementing some of the team’s ideas.

Posters were judged by members of the ELECTRI International Council.

The YSU team received funding from the Mahoning Valley NECA chapter and mentoring support from NECA-IBEW Electricians member contractor Joe Dickey Electric.

It’s the second-consecutive year that YSU won acclaim at the Green Energy Challenge. The 2012 YSU team won the proposal component of the Challenge, beating teams from Georgia Institute of Technology, Iowa State University and the University of Washington.