Big Bridge Project Makes a Difference in STEM Education

The Big Bridge. If you are creating a freshman engineering experience or a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) lesson with brainstorming, designing, testing, redesigning, hands-on building and ofcourse making certain students and instructors have fun, then the Big Bridge could be your next project.

The Big Bridge project, developed by Richard “Corporal Willy” Williams was center stage at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, last month, when groups of boys and girls built the Big Bridge.

After designing and analyzing the models in SOLIDWORKS, the prototype was complete in Corporal Willy’s backyard.

Document.pdf Corporal Willy’s Big Bridge Solution in Designing Big Bridge

Richard Williams received the ASME Las Vegas Section Award Engineering Achievement Award this year for all he has done to inspire students of all ages through engineering activities. His wife has seen the kitchen, garage and back yard turn into a machine shop and a STEM outreach center for students and teachers. Richard, you are the SolidWorks mentor.

If you don’t have enough space to build a Big Bridge, don’t worry. Corporal Willy has created great exercises with pasta. Barilla Pasta delivered a truck of boxed spaghetti to his house to help supply the materials to all the students he mentors with his pasta bridge project. Thank you for sharing with the SolidWorks Community. Marie

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Marie Planchard

Senior Director, Early Engagement, 3DEXPERIENCE Works at Dassault Systemes

Marie Planchard is an education and engineering advocate. As Senior Director of Education & Early Engagement, SOLIDWORKS, she is responsible for global development of content and social outreach for the 3DEXPERIENCE Works products across all levels of learning including educational institutions, Fab Labs, and entrepreneurship.