USM engineering student competes nationally

Ocean engineering student Andrew “Drew” Smith recently represented The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) in a national debate competition sponsored by Lockheed Martin.

Smith, a senior from Madison, teamed up with Joseph Bell, a junior from Waveland, , in the fourth annual Ethics in Engineering Case Competition held last month in a virtual format due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Twenty-six colleges and universities, each represented by a two-student undergraduate team and accompanying faculty, presented their solutions to a fictional case involving ethical, business and engineering dilemmas. The event also provided opportunities for students to learn about Lockheed Martin and its technologies, including a Q&A session that allows students to ask questions from a panel of Lockheed Martin employees and recruiters.

Dr. Mustafa Kemal Cambazoglu, assistant professor of ocean engineering at USM, served as the team’s faculty representative for the Lockheed Martin competition. He praised the diligent efforts of Smith and Bell, who made it past the first round of the competition and narrowly missed reaching the final eight.