WRITER: Allison Brady, engr_media@nmsu.edu
The American Society of Civil Engineers chapter at New Mexico State University returned to the water during the annual Concrete Canoe Competition at ASCE’s Civil Engineering Championships.
The Concrete Canoe Competition is a unique opportunity for future engineers to gain practical experience in concrete mix designs and project management challenges. Students are required to build a functional canoe completely from concrete.
NMSU’s chapter of ASCE attended past championships but were unable to compete in the concrete canoe competition or any of the other major competitions in 2025. This year, the team overcame multiple challenges and faced the shortest time crunch they have ever attempted.
Despite not placing in the competition, the team was able to create a canoe that successfully floated and made it through the entire competition. Students poured hours into creating their concrete boat, said Alitza Rodriguez, former concrete canoe lead of ASCE.
“We estimate over 80 hours were spent in the laboratory working on the construction of the canoe,” Rodriguez said. “Throughout these hours, we often had anywhere from four to 26 people working on different tasks. This does not even include the time spent modeling, preparing reports, displays, or presentations.”
Planning the canoe started in early February; however, actual construction of the canoe began only a month before the symposium. Because the team was originally unsure if they would be able to compete in the 2026 competition, they had a later start than usual.
Making a canoe out of concrete is a delicate process, and every part of the canoe was made by the team. Because the canoe would have to make it South Dakota without breaking, the team chose to prioritize sturdiness over being lightweight. Former co-captain Brandon Garcia created the concrete mixed with sand, along with lighter aggregates like glass beads and Norlite, a lightweight, ceramic aggregate typically used in structural concrete, reinforcing it with steel fiber.
The canoe weighed around 600 pounds. While they chose the heavier option, during the planning process ASCE created a second design and mix that uses more lightweight and smooth aggregates as a starting point for the next design.
“I’m very proud of my team for pulling everything together despite the many obstacles,” Rodriguez said. “During construction, at times it felt like everything that could go wrong would go wrong. The time crunch alone made this project seem impossible; however, despite all this we had people who would show up and were willing to work long hours to make it happen. No one in my team had ever competed with the Concrete Canoe team, yet everyone who would show up was always ready to help resolve the issues faced.”
When it came time for competition at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 20 members of ASCE were able to attend. Ten of those members were part of the canoe team, but the collaboration of all 20 members was needed to make the whole operation a success. NMSU’s ASCE team succeeded in creating a fully functional canoe.
While the 2026 competition has wrapped up, marking the end of canoe construction season, ASCE is already preparing for the next ASCE Championships. With a much earlier start, the team plans to compete in the concrete canoe, steel bridge, and surveying, among other events in 2027.
“Students should join ASCE because it provides valuable hands-on experience and great networking opportunities,” said Joshua Quinones, former president of ASCE. “It also helps develop real-world skills like problem-solving and learning how to collaborate with different types of people. ASCE is open to all majors, not just civil engineers, which makes it a great way to meet a diverse group of students. Personally, I’ve gained practical experience, leadership skills, and meaningful connections, but most importantly, it’s been a fun and rewarding experience.”
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CUTLINE: This year marked New Mexico State University’s American Society of Civil Engineers return to the Civil Engineering Championships’ Concrete Canoe Competition. In the competition, members are required to construct a concrete canoe completely from scratch. (NMSU photo by Vladimir Avina)
Description: A group of people surround a canoe built of wet concrete.
CUTLINE: The annual Concrete Canoe Competition is a unique opportunity for up-and-coming engineers to gain practical experience in concrete mix designs and project management challenges. Members of the New Mexico State University canoe team included, from left, Carter Haag, Ivan Cano, Brandon Garcia, and Alvin Bringham-Monroe. (NMSU photo by Vladimir Avina)
Description: Four students look at the end of their concrete canoe.
CUTLINE: New Mexico State University engineering students participating in this year’s Concrete Canoe Competition place Curan Wrap around a wet concrete canoe to ensure the canoe holds its shape while it dries. (NMSU photo by Vladimir Avina)
Description: A group of students covering a canoe in plastic wrap and concrete.