Tau Zeta Engineers Shine in Academics

Sheets of papers scattered on the table, computers flipped open, long-drawn out equations written in notebooks, and a set of hand-drawn schematics make up the corner of Tau Zeta’s dining room.

No, this isn’t clutter. This is the Engineering Table.

The Engineering Table is the epicenter of the hard-work produced by Brothers Trevor Sodorff, Austin Brown and Bryan Ernsdorff. These three Lambda Chi’s are senior Mechanical Engineering majors who are currently enrolled in some of the hardest classes WSU has to offer (Sodorff is taking one graduate level class).

It’s not uncommon to find the three at the Engineering Table working through equations at all times of the day or late into the night.

“There are some days when I’m working on engineering homework for twelve straight hours,” said Ernsdorff. “I sometimes wish I was an HBM major because of it.”

The papers and equations written out, as stated above, are for a project that Sodorff, Brown, and Ernsdorff are currently working on for their thermal systems class. For this project the group designed a five megawatt power plant that could heat three buildings from exhaust heat.

As for the schematics and power supplies on the table, Ernsdorff explains them as designs for an audio-modulating Tesla coil. This device creates high-voltage electricity that can create long sparks and play music with them.

Ernsdorff and Sodorff have designed all of the circuits themselves and are submitting their proposal to the engineering department this coming week. If accepted, the school will pay for all of the parts, and guarantee A's for them in their mechatronics class.

Sodorff, Brown, and Ernsdorff are excellent examples of what it means to be Lambda Chi’s. The three work studious to go above and beyond in their academic responsibilities while fulfilling their obligations to the fraternity and friends.

“I used to be a math major,” Sodorff said. “and then I realized I'd make no money with that degree. With engineering, I have the math I enjoy and the prospects of getting a real job, which is a plus."

While Ernsdorff and Brown don't share the same sentiment towards the math-heavy curriculum, they are all in agreement on the fact that the hard work put in at the Engineering Table will pay off in the end.