Quick Info for the program: This is a yearly STEM competition program for Junior HS and Senior HS divisions in the Tidewater area. Students typically research, design, and create projects over a period of time with guidance from their local educators. ASCE–Norfolk Branch judges, along with other organizations and local educators, review the students’ abstracts prior to TSEF day and also interact with the students and their projects during the event.

The ASCE Norfolk Branch judges awarded certificates, ASCE swag, and monetary prizes to the top three outstanding individual projects in both the junior and senior divisions. These projects demonstrated strong study, investigation, and documentation of research related to materials or civil engineering. Projects were evaluated for creativity and innovative solutions that reflect the civil engineering profession. Students were also assessed on their ability to communicate the technical issues involved and respond to judges’ questions.

In the Junior division, awards were given to projects with these topics:

• First Place: Aether - Smart Indoor Air Purification for Chronic and Acute Exposures

• Second Place: "Muddy No More," The Effectiveness of Homemade Multi-Layer Filters for Cleaning Muddy Water

• Third Place: The Effect of Plant Filtration on Total Dissolved Solids in Water

In the Senior division, awards were given to projects with these topics:

• First Place: Effectiveness of Rock and Oyster Shell Fragments in Reducing Soil Erosion in the Chesapeake Bay

• Second Place: The Effect of Plastic Composition on Biodegradability and It's Long-Term Impacts on the Environment

• Third Place: Effect of Soil Acidification and Alkalinization on Growth of Fescue

The TSEF event is one of the largest STEM programs in the region and is consistently well attended. The ASCE Norfolk Branch has participated in this program for many years. This year, Christina L. Ammens, PE, and Kayode C. Aransiola, PE, represented the ASCE Norfolk Branch at the event.