200+ TAME Engineers Return for the First Statewide Engineering Competition since 2025
After five years, we were thrilled to bring back the TAME State Engineering Competition, and what an incredible return it was!
More than 200 students from across Texas traveled to Houston for a day of collaboration and creative innovation. For many TAME Engineers, it was an opportunity to travel farther than they have before – and what better destination than one of the nation’s top engineering education programs, Rice University!
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The energy in the room was unmatched as students tackled the design challenge in teams, each contributing in their engineering role. As they built, tested, and refined their devices, students demonstrated the curiosity, problem-solving and perseverance that define real-world engineering.
“This year’s State Competition was more than a contest—it felt like a homecoming for our TAME community,” said Krystal Peralez, TAME Executive Director. “Seeing students from every region connect, compete, and grow at a place like Rice University was incredibly meaningful. These experiences stay with students and shape their sense of what’s possible.”
Thank You, State Competition Sponsors!
This event would not have been possible without the generous support of our presenting sponsor, Elimini. TAME is also extremely grateful to sponsors ConocoPhillips and PAIG as well as to our award sponsor EOS and snack sponsor Siete Foods. Finally, thank you to our gracious host for the weekend, Rice University.
Thank you for making experiences like these possible for students across Texas!
State Competition Results
The day was marked with big ideas, bold teamwork, and impressive engineering, and while all teams gave their best, these teams stood out with exceptional performances.
Engineering Mindset Award
- 1st Place, Team #38, “Thirty Eights”
- 2nd Place, Team #23: “Asan”
- 3rd Place, Team #27 “Marsioneers”
Prototype Award
- 1st Place, Team #16, “The Martians”
- 2nd Place, Team #13, “Space Pigs”
- 3rd Place, Team #39, “Apollo 39”
The Design Challenge: Build a Quantum Entanglement Communication Device
Teams were tasked with building a device capable of syncing with NASA’s quantumly entangled laser. To achieve this, teams combined two essential components: the Hexadecimal System and a Rotating Platform.
The goal? Perfectly align the timing of the rotating platform with the hexadecimal character indicated by the laser to ensure accurate, efficient communication across vast distances. Each student team was composed of five “astronauts,” each with a mission-critical role:
- Systems Engineer – the project manager, tasked with keeping the mission on track
- Communications Engineer – responsible for encoding and decoding messages
- Precision Engineer – the mathematical mind behind the timing and calculations
- Circuit Engineer – managing the build’s electrical systems and logic
- Test Engineer – ensuring quality control and troubleshooting
Every team brought their best and the room was buzzing with the energy and potential of the next generation of Texas engineers!
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