The Ohio State student chapter of the American Welding Society held its annual open house yesterday at Edison Joint Technology Center.

The open house featured 15 stations with different demonstrations, including lasers, robots and underwater welding.

OSU is the only university in the United States to offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in welding engineering, according to Richard Richardson, associate professor of welding engineering and OSU-AWS adviser.

The program started in 1948 and has been recognized as the center for welding research development in the United States, he said.

Stacy Maag, a senior in welding engineering and secretary of OSU-AWS, said the student chapter allows people to get involved and to make the most of experiences and opportunities in welding engineering.

“We do fun things like plan socials and take an annual trip to the AWS Weld Show,” Maag said. “We’re also invited to the Columbus Section Meetings where we can meet professionals and listen to the various speakers throughout the year.”

OSU-AWS strives to make sure welding engineering students have the best possible experience at OSU, Maag said.

“Knowing that I’ve made a difference or helped in some way is a reward all its own,” she said.

In September, the eight students involved in OSU-AWS decided to participate in NASA’s Zero Gravity project. Mike Lantz, a senior in welding engineering and president of OSU-AWS, said the group is hoping to challenge or confirm the theory that gravity does produce an effect on a weld pool.

“The Zero Gravity project is completely amazing. Right now we’re working on the preliminary testing and making sure the electrical circuits are all working right,” Maag said. “It’s been really great, and we’ve had a lot of support from OSU.”

OSU-AWS receives monetary donations as well as equipment. No one gets paid for their research or work. The students are strictly volunteering their time and talent outside of the classroom.

“This is a great effort by the whole group and we’re hoping to find something interesting,” Lantz said.

There are other avenues to welding engineering, including research and development.

“Welding is the guy who is designing a weld and the technology behind the process, not just the guy who welds,” Lantz said.