Fact Sheet

What is the Nucor Strength of Steel Challenge?

Huddle with your team to design a steel structure for your home, school, or car. The challenge? Showcase the strength of steel! Your invention needs to hold a minimum of 5 pounds and must include recycled steel.

Deadline:

Have your steel design ready for takeoff before 8:00 pm (ET) on May 3, 2011

Prizes:

One Winning Team will receive: The Nucor Future Engineer National Champion award, $3,000 for the team, and a brainstorming session with a Nucor Engineer
Seven Semifinalist Teams will each receive: $1,500 and The Nucor Future Engineer Semifinalist award
All Semifinalist teams will win: A trip to Charlotte, NC to attend the final judging event
One Teacher nominated by the winning team will receive: $250

Eligibility:

This is a special challenge open to a select group of 12 to 18 year olds from Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah. Entries must be by teams of 2 to 4 members. No individual entries are accepted. We accept multiple teams per school.

Enter your idea online or mail it to us. If mailed the official mail-in entry form must be used. You must answer all entry questions in full (also found below). The entry must be accompanied by the Official Team Permission Form.

Entry Questions

What type of structure has your team designed?

a) A structure for the home

b) A structure for school

c) A structure for a vehicle

What is the name of your structure? (You might name it for its function, what it's made of, or possibly using your team’s name)
Describe your structure in detail. How does it work? What does it support? What problem does it solve?
How did you build your structure? What materials did you use? What portion/percentage is made of steel/recycled steel?
How did you test the strength of your structure? How much weight can it hold?
You must upload at least one photo of your structure. You may include up to two additional photos or drawings to help illustrate your design.

Judging Criteria:

We are judging your entries based on:

Design: Is it innovative, creative, and unique?
Strength: How much weight can the structure bear?
Functionality: Does it work?
Materials: What percentage of steel and recycled steel did you use?