Student bridges engineering and entrepreneurship
<p>Arizona State University engineering student Bobby Cottam is among the first to take advantage of a new opportunity for ASU students to put innovative ideas into action solving community problems.</p><separator></separator><p>Cottam grew up in Mesa, Ariz., graduating as valedictorian in 2007 from Red Mountain High School. He’s now a junior studying in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, and in the School of Sustainability</p><separator></separator><p>He’s also involved in the Entrepreneur Advantage Project. The project provides students – even those without business experience – opportunities to pursue entrepreneurial ventures. (This semester, students who have innovative venture ideas are encouraged to participate in the ASU Innovation Challenge. The deadline for applications is March 26.)</p><separator></separator><p>Cottam is president of the ASU civil engineering club Bridges to Prosperity. It’s a chapter of a national organization that seeks to help communities in developing countries raise their standards of living. Its specific focus is on building footbridges. </p><separator></separator><p>Through the Entrepreneur Advantage Project, Cottam and his team were awarded a grant that jump-started their project to design and construct a bridge in the rural town of Bocuire, in the Central American republic of Honduras.</p><separator></separator><p>Working with town residents, the team constructed a 40-meter-long footbridge that now links seven neighboring communities in the area.</p><separator></separator><p>During the country’s rainy season, access to the communities was possible only by time-consuming treks on unsafe routes. The new bridge enables children in Bocuire to travel to schools using a much safer and shorter path.</p><separator></separator><p>In a recent <a href="http://entrepreneurship.asu.edu/newsletter/2009/11/12/profile-student-e… on the Entrepreneurship at ASU Web site</a>, Cottam shares insights on the challenges of completing the bridge project and talks about how Entrepreneurship Advantage has had a positive impact on him and others. <br /><em></em></p><separator></separator><p><em>Written by: Jessica Graham</em></p>