Kansas State University

MANHATTAN -- A Kansas State University department of biological and agricultural engineering competition team, student organization and new graduate earned awards at the recent annual international meeting of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in Kansas City, Mo.

The department's Fountain Wars team placed second in an international competition; the Biological Systems Engineering Student Professional Club earned second place in the Association of Equipment Manufacturers Trophies Competition; and DeeAnn Turpin, May 2013 bachelor's graduate in biological systems engineering, was recognized as the recipient of the association's 2013 Pharos of Alexandria Global Learning Award.

It was the second straight second-place finish for the Fountain Wars Team. Fountain Wars is a hands-on, real-time design competition where students design and model a fountain to complete technical tasks. The model is then built and tested under time limits at the competition, and a written report and oral presentation are presented. The design also must be aesthetically pleasing. The team's faculty adviser is Phil Barnes, associate professor of biological and agricultural engineering.

This year's technical tasks included three different activities, Barnes said. In the aesthetics display, which is an annual competition requirement, the team went with a game-like display with electronics, creating the "Pirate Ship Battle." Other tasks included the Motion Machine, where the team's fountain had to keep a racquetball in motion for three minutes while meeting various distance and other requirements; and Water Bowling, which required the elevation and propelling of a 16-pound bowling ball.

Team members included:

Jessica Barnett, senior in biological systems engineering, Belleville, team co-president; Kevin Garman, senior in biological systems engineering, Burr Oak, team activities chair; Breanna Stout, master's student in biological and agricultural engineering, Garden City.

From Greater Kansas City: Chloe Boudreaux, junior in biological systems engineering and team treasurer, and Alison Cioffi, sophomore in biological systems engineering, both from Olathe; and Grant Brady, senior in biological systems engineering, Shawnee.

Kayla Wehkamp, junior in biological systems engineering, Ingalls, team secretary; Eric Spurgeon, senior in mechanical engineering, Mullinville; Phillip Mahoney, junior in biological systems engineering, Salina; and Chris Shultz, junior in civil engineering, Wakarusa.

From out-of-state: Erin Mason-Ogle, senior in biological systems engineering, Greenfield, Mo., team co-president.

The Biological Systems Engineering Student Professional Club earned a second-place award for excellence in initiative and professionalism among American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering student branches. The award is based on the club's activities and achievements for the year. The club's faculty adviser is Joe Harner, professor and head of the department of biological and agricultural engineering.

Turpin, Leavenworth, was recognized with the association's Pharos of Alexandria Global Learning Award for her exemplary leadership skills, humanitarian service and dedication to the promotion of sustainable and environmentally sound engineering practices. The award includes $1,000.

While at Kansas State University, Turpin was involved with designing and implementing water purification systems for rural areas around the world and creating sustainable engineering designs that use natural processes instead of fossil fuels. As a member of the university's chapter of Engineers Without Borders, Turpin helped design and assist with projects in several developing countries. These projects included designing a sustainable, electricity-free rainwater harvesting system for domestic and irrigation use for a village in India; monitoring ceramic purification systems in four rural Guatemalan villages; and installing a new water system and designing and helping build a day care facility in Ecuador that used plastic bottles as building materials. She also went to Bangladesh to learn about the country's agricultural practices and meet with engineers involved in crop research.

Among Turpin's honors include being recognized by the New Faces of Engineering College Edition program, being named an honorable mention for a Udall Scholarship and receiving the university's Multicultural Engineering Program's Outstanding Student of the Year.

Turpin has joined Bechtel Corp. in Houston as an environmental engineer.