Engineering team takes second in Traffic Bowl debut

Diana Briones (from left), Natalia Kuvakina and Austin Bernat represented UIC’s chapter of the Institution of Transportation Engineers at the ITE Collegiate Traffic Bowl.

By David Staudacher

UIC’s student chapter of Institution of Transportation Engineers (ITE) captured second place at the ITE Collegiate Traffic Bowl (Midwestern District) during the ITE Midwestern District Conference in June in Madison, Wisconsin.

The UIC ITE team, which consists of civil and materials engineering students Diana Briones and Austin Bernat, as well as alumna Natalia Kuvakina, competed hard as they narrowly missed securing the top spot during their first time participating in the competition.

“Lacking any previous experience, the team’s performance was commendable in the face of stiff competition from other schools,” said Sudheer Ballare, secretary of UIC ITE.

UIC secured first place in the preliminary round, then finished in second place in the final round after being edged out by the University of Minnesota.

UIC’s team competed against students from schools in Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Since 2009, the ITE has been conducting a student competition program known as the ITE Collegiate Traffic Bowl. The objectives of the competition include enhancing students’ knowledge of the traffic/transportation engineering and planning profession and strengthening the programs of the ITE student chapters.

The UIC ITE student chapter meets monthly throughout the semester.