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Engineering competition on Truro Campus pushes students to their limits

- January 14, 2025

Students Caleb Hominick, left, and Robert Holmes won a new engineering competition last fall on the Truro Campus. (Submitted photos)
Students Caleb Hominick, left, and Robert Holmes won a new engineering competition last fall on the Truro Campus. (Submitted photos)

Two part-time academics on Dal's Truro Campus threw down The Gauntlet for Faculty of Agriculture engineering students recently. 

In this case, The Gauntlet was a new extracurriclar competition that offered the students on the campus a unique opportunity to showcase their technical skills, problem-solving abilities and teamwork under pressure.

The event was structured as a knockout-style tournament spread across four rounds throughout October. Teams of two students competed in a series of engineering-based challenges designed to test a variety of skills essential to the discipline.

“The Gauntlet provided students invaluable hands-on opportunities to apply their knowledge in practical and dynamic challenges," said Connor Mulllins, who co-organized the event with fellow PhD candidate and lecturer Mandi Wilson. "These events focused on experiential learning, enabling participants to bridge theory and practice and develop critical problem-solving skills while building community through teamwork.”  

How it works


The rounds were strategically designed to ramp up in difficulty, ensuring each phase pushed competitors to their limits. After each round, half the teams were eliminated, leaving only the strongest and most creative pairs standing, Magic Purple Bats and H & H Workpare.

The teams of two were presented with a problem and given eight hours to prepare a SolidWorks drawing of their solution. Their solutions were 3D-printed, culminating in a build and test day for the final round.


Above, Team Magic Purple Bats works on its prototype.

The winners, H & H Workpare, comprised of first-year student Caleb Hominick and second-year student Robert Holmes, demonstrated their engineering expertise and ability to think critically under immense time constraints.

"The Gauntlet was an incredible experience because it tested our hands-on skills under a tight time constraint," explained Caleb. "We had to quickly brainstorm and develop a solution, leaving no room for procrastination. This forced us to prioritize tasks effectively and focus on constant testing and improvement," he added.  

Teammate Robert was similarly impressed by the experience.

"It was rewarding to apply the skills I had learned in class for the first time in a practical setting," he said. "The lessons I took away from the Gauntlet proved invaluable, as I was able to use them in later projects."


Caleb and Robert hard at work testing their design.

The power of experiential learning


Motivated by their desire to foster innovation, collaboration, and practical problem-solving, Connor and Mandi — the organizers — developed The Gauntlet to provide a platform for students to apply classroom knowledge in novel and fun ways. 

Beyond the technical challenges, The Gauntlet offered students a chance to build essential soft skills like teamwork, communication, and leadership. Working under time constraints and competing against their peers helped participants develop resilience and adaptability, traits which will serve them well in their academic journeys and future careers.

As engineering education continues to evolve, competitions like The Gauntlet demonstrate the value of experiential and collaborative learning.

With passionate lecturers like Mandi and Connor on the Truro campus, opportunities like this will continue to enhance the student experience while building a strong community of learning.


Competitior Jessa Rushton. Teammate Olivia Caissie not pictured.

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