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Engineering students ‘gear up’ for spring Senior Design Day

April 29, 2014

College of Engineering and Engineering Technology: Senior Design DayNIU’s College of Engineering and Engineering Technology requires graduating seniors to spend the last semester of their tenure innovating, designing and building new products or systems to engage the knowledge and experience they’ve accumulated throughout the years.

On Friday, May 2, these seniors will present their ideas at Senior Design Day.

This spring’s edition welcomes 46 student projects from all four engineering and technology programs including Industrial systems, mechanical, electrical and technology. All student teams present their projects to department faculty, staff, the NIU Engineering Technology Alumni Society as well as external corporate officials from companies such as SPX Hydraulic Technologies, CGH Medical Center, Fermi National Accelerator Lab and more.

Student projects should solve real-world problems identified by the students or brought forth by corporate partners. Industry representatives often fund senior design projects to cheaply and efficiently solve a workplace issues currently hindering their business objectives.

“Working with corporations on senior design projects is a fantastic way for students to get their hands dirty solving real issues, but it also benefits our partners by saving money and giving them access to our resources,” says Omar Ghrayeb, associate dean.

In addition to funded projects, students can join together to innovate and produce entirely new products. Adam Bennett and Keagan Hinners, students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, will present “The Cold Snap,” a container that instantly chills warm beverages.

Fall 2013 overall winners Kishan Patel and David Bieber

Fall 2013 overall winners Kishan Patel and David Bieber

Joshua Ott and Derek Seaton, the Undergraduate Research and Artistry Day “People’s Choice Award” winners, are one of four multidisciplinary teams utilizing their skills in mechanical and electrical engineering.

They will present the “Twin Chamber Valveless Pulsejet Engine,” a unique improvement to aviation’s retired pulsejet design.

A complete list of projects is available online.

Awards are given at 5:10 p.m. to the winning two teams of each department. ETAS awards one overall college winner with a financial contribution and an awesome trophy made from CEET’s very own labs.

Registration opens at 7:30 a.m.; lunch will be served at noon. For more information, call (815) 752-8211 or email at acarrier@niu.edu.