BP invites Rice students to compete for field trip

By Jieya Wen     10/28/13 7:00pm

For the first time, BP has invited Rice University to participate in its Ultimate Field Trip competition. The competition, in its second year, has students work in teams of three to propose a solution for an energy challenge. The national winners win a trip to Alaska and Chicago, where they will tour facilities, see the BP trading floor and explore a refinery in the Chicago area, according to Rice University Campus Ambassador for BP Andy Labaw.

Labaw, a Martel College senior, said 12 universities in the U.S were selected to participate in the program. He said four countries are participating this year.

"There will be several stages of the competition," Labaw said. "The competition is first [held] at individual universities. The champions of the individual universities will go on to a national competition. The U.S. champion will [then] compete with champions from other countries."

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Rice was selected for the competition this year because it is one of the most important universities for BP, Labaw said.

"Rice has a good engineering program, [mathematical economic analysis] program and energy trade program," Labaw said. "BP is able to find high-quality candidates in all three disciplines at the same time. It's like a one-stop shop."

Aimee Close, BP's projects and programs manager for U.S. universeity relations, said the UFT aims to introduce college students to the energy industry and attract young talent for BP.

"The UFT offers BP the chance to engage and interact with students, allowing us to provide them with insight and experience of working on real-life challenges within the energy sector," Close said.

Labaw said the competition is mainly a marketing opportunity for BP.

"This event is for college students to understand BP, the energy industry and our generation's energy problem," Labaw said. "It might increase the chance of getting a job at BP, but it does not necessarily lead to a job opportunity or internship. It is just a trip."

Will Rice College junior Stephen Palasi said the competition is a good opportunity.

"About half the chemical engineering majors are interested in energy, including myself," Palasi said. "This sounds like the other design competitions at Rice, which are pretty fun. It sounds like it would build leadership and skill."

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