At Coffey, supporting the next generation of engineers is a core part of how we contribute to the future of the industry. One of the ways we do this is by sponsoring the annual Pasta Bridge competition at the University of Galway – a hands-on challenge designed for first-year engineering students.
Armed with only spaghetti pasta and hot glue, teams test their understanding of structural principles by building the most efficient bridge possible. The task demands creativity, analytical thinking, and teamwork, and Coffey awards €600 in prizes to recognise the top three designs.
This year’s entries set an impressive standard:
1st Place:
Ferdia Breslin, Yubin Zhang, Tim Wall & Abdulrahman Hegazy
• Bridge mass: 0.30 kg
• Maximum load: 53 kg
• 177 times its own mass
2nd Place:
Brian Owens, James Doherty, Shane Kelly & Julie Morcos
• Bridge mass: 0.72 kg
• Maximum load: 101 kg
• 140 times its own mass
3rd Place:
Cian O’Flatharta, Donal Quinn, Kevin Gavin & Jack Batt
• Bridge mass: 0.50 kg
• Maximum load: 45 kg
• 90 times its own mass
David Burke, Coffey’s Head of Operations & Maintenance, joined the event to present the prizes and speak with students about developing a career in engineering. Their curiosity, talent, and willingness to experiment were clear throughout the day.
Congratulations to all participants – the innovation showcased at this year’s competition offers real confidence in the future of engineering.
