“I was thinking we should build some rockets; I do not know how, but somehow we will create them,” said Jesus Cahuantzi, mechanical engineering major and president of the Applied Science Engineering and Technology Club.
It is Cahuantzi’s first year at Cerritos College.
“My teacher in high school – Mr.Guzman – would talk about different programs here at the school … I came across the ASET Club. I was interested, so I talked to the adviser of the club, (Professor) James Henriquez.”
The ASET Club has been a part of Cerritos College since before 2004, according to Henriquez.
This club is here to have students incorporate things they learned in class and bring them to life – this is what the club is all about.
It is mostly a hands-on experience when it comes down the to the projects and ideas that the students have. For any science or engineering majors, the projects the club has can be useful for their career knowledge, or anybody in general that wants to try something new and challenging.
Although the club has been here for some time, it has not always been as active as it is now. Sergio Serratos, a civil engineering major and secretary of the club, said, “I started this semester; it (the club) had diminished for some time, and now we brought it back up. Most of us here are all going toward the engineering field.”
The original idea was to do small projects, but since the club has become involved more and more with its members, Cahuantzi came up with an idea, “We decided to make a giant trebuchet.”
A trebuchet is a type of catapult.
The club had to get the school’s approval, and it got right to it as soon as it was possible. The club also had the chance to work on this project next to all the floats that were being built during Homecoming week.
The trebuchet took about three weeks to build, according to Henriquez, “I am excited to see how much dedication all our members have put in,” he said.
Home Depot helped the club get the materials it needed to build this project.
A date for when the trebuchet will be utilized is still pending.
ASET has more upcoming projects in mind.
Cahuantzi said, “I was thinking of doing one big project and one smaller project; it is going to to take up to two or three months.”
The ASET Club accepts anyone who is interested in building and creating projects.
Nikki Alvarado, a member of the club, said, “I was introduced to it because (the members) came to my Physics 101 class. I decided to join because my major is aerospace engineering and I think it’s very interesting.”
She added, “I want to make my mark in the club and see how I can help out.”
Members have been promoting the club with flyers in the library and around campus, according to Cahuantzi.
“When we do our projects and people come up to see what we are doing, we explain what we do. It is then when we ask them if they want to be involved and we give them a flyer.”
He added, “I really encourage people to join. I am very excited with what can be done in this club.”
