2024 Coastal Bend Engineering Competition

The 2024 Coastal Bend Engineering Competition (CBEC) was held on Friday, Feb. 23, at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. This event introduced the industrial engineering concept of Optimization for Maximum Revenue to students in grades 6-12. The competition started with presentations from the industrial engineering faculty members Dr. Stewart Behie, Dr. Hongwei Hsiao, Dr. Jangwoon Park, and Dr. Lingxiang Yun where they talked to students about their research and professional interests. Afterward, Bryant Feldhousen ’26, an electrical engineering major, presented the overview and goals of the competition to the students.   

“I strongly encourage students who are interested in majoring in engineering to start their preparation during middle school and high school years,” said Hsiao, Professor and the Rogelio Benavides Memorial Chair of Industrial Engineering and Industrial Safety. “Students who have developed a passion for mathematics, possess problem-solving skills, and enjoy teamwork attain key characteristics that contribute to becoming a successful engineer.” 

The competition put a spin on the industrial engineering concept of vending machines. Vending machines must be filled at maximum capacity, make continuous revenue, and work efficiently for consumers. Thus, the students were given three items and the documents that listed the different values and volumes of the items. With this information, they calculated how many of their items could fit into a plastic shoebox and make the most revenue.  

The first item was a wooden cube, worth $1.00 with a volume of 15.22 cm3. The second item was a plastic cup with a lid, worth $5.66 with a volume of 67.81 cm3. The third item was a styrofoam ball, worth $7.39 with a volume of 59.29 cm3. Each team received 150 wooden cubes, 30 styrofoam balls, and 25 plastic cups with lids. The teams had an hour and a half to optimize the most space in the shoebox and complete their documentation. The rules of the competition required that the shoebox lid snap and stay shut, the lids of the plastic cups remain firmly affixed, items were not squished in the box, teams used five of the items each, and teams also had to thoroughly document their thoughts, ideas, and calculations on paper. The teams that won first and second place received prizes for their efforts. 

“Being able to adapt to new concepts is a highly valued skill and engineers need to be adaptable because of the constantly changing world,” Feldhousen said. “As an engineer or aspiring engineer, you will run into roadblocks or fail at certain tasks, but when that happens, it is extremely important to keep your head high, learn from that mistake, and do better next time.”   

High school level winners included: 

• First place — Team Let it Crust from Gregory-Portland High School with a revenue of $490.84. 
• Second place — Team Tango Flight from Flour Bluff High School with a revenue of $488.86. 
• Third place — Team Beef Pho from Gregory-Portland High School with a revenue of $481.83. 

Middle school level winners included: 

• First place — Team Baker Bronc Scientists from Baker Middle School with a revenue of $455.86. 

• Second place — Team Baker Underwater Seahorses from Baker Middle School with a revenue of $452.25. 
• Third place — Team #16 from Smith Middle School with a revenue of $451.13.