The Student Design Competition was introduced in the fall of 2004 and culminated at the 2005 SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit in Salt Lake City, UT. It is a two-stage competition involving a technical design stage and an oral presentation stage based on an aggregate mining industry design problem. It was felt that in combining these two categories of a technical solution and an oral presentation provided the basis for most engineering work once the students enter the mining industry. In this way the students can be involved in a “real world” engineering problem and solution prior to graduation. The teams will be judged on presentation skills, creativity, understanding of aggregate mining processes, and thoughtful methodology.
Submit Team Information
Submitting Procedure
This form must be completed in order to participate in the 2023-2024 Student Design Competition. School information, Faculty Advisor information and at least one team member's information is required to submit the form. If you have any questions regarding submitting your team for the 2023-2024 Student Design competition, please email SME at education@smenet.org.
Team Applications are due by November 1, 2023
Submit Team Application Download the 2023-2024 Student Design Competition GuidelinesSubmit Phase 1 Results
Participating teams for the 2023-2024 Student Design Competition should submit their Phase 1 Results by November 22, 2023.
Get Started
Submit Phase 1 ResultsRead what our past participants have to say about the Student Design Competition.
"...no matter the outcome of the competition this is a great opportunity to make connections with industry leaders and be part of a fun experience that will perpetuate your career. The purpose behind the competition is to build relationships and learn how to collaborate with different personalities. These are the things that you cannot be taught in a classroom, but through experience and this competition embodies that idea."
-Nancy Tracy, Montana Tech
Key dates for 2023-2024:
- September 18: Phase 1 begins
- November 1: Deadline to register your team
- November 22: Phase 1 solution due by 11:59 PM Mountain Time
- Early January: Phase 2 teams announced
- February 23: Phase 2 begins (at SME Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ)
- February 25: Phase 2 final presentations and judging; Phase 2 winners announced