PA – South Central

Table of Contents

Event Location 
Millersville University
21 South George Street, Millersville
PA  17551

Map and Directions

PDR Due Date
The PDR due date is set as Monday, February 26th, 2024.
Submit PDRs in Word or .pdf format to seaairland@arl.psu.edu

Challenge Date
The Challenge is on!  Challenge Day will be held Thursday, April 18th, 2024.

Challenge Day Schedule
8:00 – 9:00          Registration – SMC Gymnasium Lobby
9:00 – 9:10          Welcoming Remarks – Dr. Len S. Litowitz, Chairperson, MU Department of Applied Engineering, Safety & Technology (MPR Room)
9:10 – 9:30          Keynote Speaker – Bill Ullrich, Chief Petty Officer, US Navy
9:45 – 11:15 AM Challenges (Gymnasium and Outside)
11:15 – 12:00      Lunch (The Galley)
12:00 – 1:30        PM Challenges(Gymnasium and Outside)
1:35 – 1:55          Surveys/Clean-Up/Final Judging
2:00 – 2:15          Awards Ceremony
2:15                     Departure
*Tours of Osburn Hall, home of the Department of Applied Engineering, Safety & Technology beginning at 10:30 and continuing throughout the day.

Regional Coordinators
Dr. Len Litowitz
Millersville University
Professor & Chairperson
Department of Applied Engineering, Safety & Technology

Central Coordinator
The Pennsylvania State University
Electro-Optics Center
222 Northpointe Boulevard
Freeport, PA 16229
seaairland@arl.psu.edu

Facility Rules
Conduct detrimental to the public interest or abuse of the building and grounds under any circumstances is expressly prohibited. The building, grounds, equipment and restrooms shall be left in a clean, orderly condition. Failure to do so may result in fees (as determined by the Owners) being assessed. No smoking is allowed in any building and no alcoholic beverages are permitted on the grounds.

Weather Considerations
Weather delays and cancellations will be posted at www.iu13.org, WGAL 8, CBS 21, FOX 43, AND ABC 27.  The highest emphasis of safety will be placed on participants and staff. When there is lightning in the area, all outside activity will be suspended until the threatening weather leaves the area.  Thank you for your understanding of our efforts to put safety first.

Challenges:

Sea – A container ship full of cargo was anchored outside of port in 30 meters of water, awaiting their scheduled time to unload at the dock in port, when it was hit by a rogue wave.  As the crew had already loosened some of the straps in preparation for unloading, many of the containers were knocked into the water.  Some of these containers included radioactive materials.  These containers need to be retrieved as soon as possible.  Due to the portside activity in the aftermath of the rogue wave, the safest and most efficient means of recovery will be to send a submersible to gather the containers.

Sea Guidelines 2023-2024

Air – A freight train has derailed in a very sparsely populated area.  Cars from the train are scattered widely.  Some of these train cars were carrying irradiated materials and radioactive samples headed to a laboratory for an experiment.   While emergency crews prepare to travel to the wreck site, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with radiation detection capabilities is being sent to the scene to survey the site. The UAV will be used to locate the cars which were carrying the materials and samples, and which may now have damaged packaging.  With cameras, sensors and automated image processing, the UAV will fly over the wreckage and determine if any radiative matter is uncontained.  A live relay of this information will be sent to the first responders, allowing them to remain protected at a safe distance until the best method of response is determined.  In addition, the UAV will be able to drop markers on “hot spots” to indicate a radiation danger zone and serve as a warning to these emergency ground crews.

Air Guidelines 2023-2024

Land – A wildfire moving through a game preserve has scattered the animals and destroyed some of their habitat.  As the high winds continually shift the wildfires, the danger of the situation would be increased if manned rescue teams were dispersed to locate and gather the animals.  Therefore, your team, with an unmanned land rover, is being sent for the animals in order to bring them in for safety and evaluation.  The animals will be placed in temporary housing until the fire is extinguished, repairs to the habitats can be made and the area is safe.

Land Guidelines 2023-2024

 

2023 Participating Schools
Elizabethtown Area High School
MOT Charter High School
Solanco High School
Susquehanna Township High School
York Country Day School

2022 Participating Schools
Camp Hill High School
Cedar Crest
Elizabethtown
Houston Home School
McCaskey (Lancaster)
McLean High School
MOT Charter School

2022 Challenge Judges
Sara Atwood (Elizabethtown College)
Mike Ellis (Advanced Cooling Technologies)
Drew Hershey (Precision Custom Components)
Jakob Larson (Precision Custom Components)
Lauren Messner (Precision Custom Components)
Haley Myer (Advanced Cooling Technologies)
Jill Neuhard (Capital Area IU)
Patryk Radyjowski (Advanced Cooling Technologies)
Andy Slippey (Advanced Cooling Technologies)
Sai Srinivas (Advanced Cooling Technologies)
Sue Voigt (Capital Area IU)
Jim Zingaro (retired, electrical engineer)

2019 Participating Schools
Big Spring
Cedar Crest
Central Mountain
Elizabethtown
McCaskey (Lancaster)
Penn Manor
Shippensburg
Susquehanna

2018 Participating Schools
Big Spring
Cedar Crest
Donegal
Elizabethtown
McCaskey
Penn Manor
Red Land
Susquehanna

2017 Participating Schools
Hempfield
McCaskey
Red Lion