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Engineer wins Google contest 

By Sarah Ryeland

Sandu Baciu, a recent graduate from the department of Civil Engineering, is one of the winners of Google’s Build Your Campus in 3D Competition. Using Google’s SketchUp program, he created a detailed, three-dimensional image of Loyola campus that can be viewed using Google Earth.

Baciu entered the contest in April. He decided to go it alone instead of working in a team. “I didn’t want to create problems since my free time is very limited. Also, I didn’t know if I could finish on time since the deadline was very close.” But finish he did, and emerged as the only Canadian winner — one of seven to claim the grand prize.

Working only on weekends at a Chapters store in Pointe Claire, Baciu managed to put together his detailed image of Loyola in a mere month. “I spent three to four hours per weekend day,” he remembers “working up to the last moment.”

The hard work that he put in was worth it. With the winning teams announced on July 10, Baciu learned that he would be taking part in the unbelievable grand prize: a trip to Google’s headquarters in Mountain View California, to participate in a workshop with 3D modelling experts.

For three days in August, Baciu participated in presentations and workshops, in what he calls ‘A trip to remember.’ Not only did competition winners get licenses for Google products and job offers, but they also had the chance to speak with Larry Page and Sergey Brin: Google’s co-founders.

For Baciu, learning how to use Google products and software was only the beginning. The experience itself was a reward.

“I learned that if you believe in yourself, you can win.”