Years Running
ME Student Participants
Internship Value
Cost to Students
What is the Windstorm Challenge?
The Matthew R. Simmons Windstorm Challenge, hosted by the University of Maine at the Harold Alfond W2 Ocean Engineering Laboratory, is the ASCC’s investment in Maine’s next generation of innovators, engineers, and clean energy champions. This annual STEM carnival invites student teams to engage in a hands-on experience that combines engineering, innovation, and a commitment to sustainable energy solutions.
STEM Carnival
In conjunction with the Windstorm Challenge, the Advanced Structures and Composites Center hosts a STEM Carnival, providing students with a full and free day of hands-on engineering fun alongside UMaine’s black bear engineers. The event showcases the practical applications of STEM principles, offering an engaging experience for participants.
Event Structure:
The challenge tasks teams of students with designing and constructing a floating platform for a scale model wind turbine. Teams present their creations to a panel of expert judges, showcasing their engineering prowess and problem-solving skills. The competition is tailored for both middle and high school students, with an emphasis on fostering a diverse range of experiences.
Highschool Teams:
Comprising four or fewer students, high school teams vie for the opportunity to secure internships at UMaine’s Advanced Structures & Composites Center. The top qualifying team is offered an internship valued at more than $60,000, contingent upon their enrollment at the university.
Middle School Teams:
Teams of up to 10 middle school students participate in the challenge, testing their floating platforms. While not eligible for the internship award, winning middle school teams receive an alternative recognition. The competition encourages a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere, engaging students at an early age in the exciting world of engineering.
REGISTER TODAY!
To Register, please email Taylor.Ward@maine.edu
May 10, 2024
University of Maine | Orono
Windstorm Guidebook ’24
Matthew R. Simmons Acknowledgement
Matthew R. Simmons was the Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Simmons & Company International, a global leader in providing research, investment banking, and financial advisory services to the energy sector. Matt was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and raised his family in Houston, Texas. He had a home in MidCoast Maine and he and his wife, Ellen, became active members of the MidCoast community. In 2005 his book ‘Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy’ questioned the sustainability of current levels of Middle East Oil production. It was an international bestseller. In 2007 Matt established the Ocean Energy Institute, with the vision to make Maine a leader in offshore wind. The Ocean Energy Institute aimed to replace the world’s fossil fuel reserves with energy from the ocean. His life’s work and vision for Maine’s offshore wind continue posthumously.