USI students travel to Canada for Alberta Energy Challenge

A team of four students from the University of Southern Indiana's Romain College of Business has been invited to compete at the 2014 Alberta Energy Challenge (AEC) hosted by the University of Alberta School of Business and the Commerce Energy and Environmental Group. Adam Brothers, Zack Mathis, Ryan Elpers and Meghan Martin will leave Wednesday, September 24, for Edmonton, Alberta Canada to compete at the AEC.

AEC is an international undergraduate case competition that attracts some of the brightest students from around the world. The organization is now in its fifth year, and is building towards the goal of becoming the premiere energy-focused business case competition in North America. The 2014 AEC continues to encourage international teams to participate, with potential candidates showing interest from the United States, Europe, Asia and the United Arab Emirates.

At the conference, teams will be asked to research and develop a comprehensive and innovative solution to a real-time challenge presented by one of Alberta's energy companies. An interdisciplinary panel of industry and academic consultants will be available to the delegates to augment their understanding of key problems and comment on the feasibility of proposed alternatives.

The competition culminates on Sunday, September 28, when each team presents their analysis and ideas to a distinguished panel of judges, including senior representatives of sponsoring firms along with leading professionals in the Alberta energy sector.

Delegates will be provided with opportunities to network with industry professionals in addition to students from business and engineering programs around the world. Past companies represented at AEC include: Shell, Cenovus, Suncor, Junewarren-Nickel's Energy Group, CMA, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Oil Sands Research and Information Network.

Brothers has competed in previous international cases competitions in Canada. Last year, he competed in the John Molson Undergraduate Case Competition in Montreal and the Alberta Not-for-Profit Case Competition in Alberta.