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CORVALLIS - Engineering skills honed by Oregon State University students have earned top honors in a regional construction skills competition.

Three six-member OSU teams from the College of Engineering's Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering competed against students from 16 western universities recently in the 13th annual Construction Management Competition.

The teams are given the plans and specifications for a complex construction project in various divisions and have 16 hours to compile a cost estimate, schedule, complete a written proposal and prepare for an oral presentation. Each division is sponsored by a corporate industry leader who provides the project. A group of judges hear the oral presentations, review the written proposal and select the winners.

Divisions include residential construction, commercial building, and heavy/civil.

The OSU Residential Construction Team topped teams from 13 other universities to earn first place in the residential division and $1,000. Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering seniors Christopher Burke of St. Paul, Camerun Davis of Redmond, Paul Harding of Corvallis, Charlie Holm of Roseburg, Matt Norman, of Albany and John Wyland of Salem, represented OSU.

The OSU Heavy/Civil Team earned second-place honors and $1,500 in competition against 13 other teams. The six seniors competing in the Heavy/Civil Division were Aaron Brim of Mountain Ranch, Calif., Benjamin Campbell of Albany, R. Matthew Seehawer of Newberg, Matthew Smith of Eugene and Benjamin Harding and D. Royce Stricklan, both of Corvallis.

Oregon State's Commercial Building Construction Team placed fourth among the 15 teams competing in their division. The team also earned the Turner Construction Co. Award for the Most Innovative/Creative Proposal, which included $1,000. Seniors competing in commercial building were Neil Brown of Beaverton, Jeremy Buddress of Lake Oswego, Brett Dutra of Halsey, Corbett Martin of Philomath, Brooke Pollard of Albany, and Brian Wildish of Eugene.

A permanent endowment fund established several years ago holds funds earned by OSU student teams. The account, which now tops $10,000, generates about $500 per year in earnings. Interest income is used to support future teams entering the competition.