91ÊÓƵ

The hosts an annual competition and networking event for students from several regional schools. On Nov. 20, Oregon State University placed first out of five schools at this year’s Jeopardy-style challenge.

The OSU chapter of Oregon ITE was awarded $400 for placing first, while defending champ Portland State University took home $300 for second place. University of Portland placed third for $200, and the Oregon Institute of Technology and University of Washington took home $150 participation gifts.

Diego Arguea, engineering associate at Kittelson & Associates, said he has been involved with coordinating the event for the past four years. He said between five and 10 invitations are extended annually throughout the Pacific Northwest—including to the University of Alaska at Anchorage this year—and that it brings engineering agencies and students together to network and assist engineering job seekers.

About a dozen sponsors contribute to the event, and Arguea hopes to expand that number for future Traffic Bowls. He said participating engineering students attend the Bowl and related events for free, and that students of any major may attend for $10.

“It’s meant to be a fun, knowledge-building event,” Arguea said. “Students get to meet engineers, and the Bowl is followed by Friday events.”

Since the Traffic Bowl is held on a Thursday, Arguea said events are planned on the Friday following the Traffic Bowl to make a trip to Portland worthwhile for participating schools. 91ÊÓƵ include lectures, tours of local engineering companies and, this year, attendance of the annual. A previous Friday event included the opportunity for students to lift the Hawthorne Bridge.

This year’s Traffic Bowl is the 20th since its inception in 1991. Since 2009, the event’s formal name is the William C. Kloos Traffic Bowl, a nod to the 35-year veteran traffic engineer recognized for leadership and development of engineering programs for Oregon’s ITE chapter.

Photos courtesy of Diego Arguea