How Senior Design Works

Through the Senior Design program, students begin to experience the demands of professional projects.

Teams

After senior students vote for their favorite projects, the capstone committee creates teams by assigning 2–5 students to each project.

Teams are expected to meet regularly, both with and without their advisors and sponsors, and coordinate to make progress with the team. They also attend lectures and presentations on resources, project management, communication, and resource allocation.

Advisors

Each team is assigned a faculty member to provide guidance and evaluate their performance. A volunteer industry mentor from our Design Advisory Board (DAB) also gives a team feedback and ideas.

Sponsors

Sponsors work with the student team as customers. One or more designated liaisons from the sponsoring organization clarify any project requirements and expectations.

Projects

Depending on the project, deliverables can range from computer code to design and analysis documents to physical prototypes. These items are delivered to the university or sponsoring organization as stipulated by the project agreement or agreed upon scope.

No two projects are alike, so no two teams will have an identical experience.

Resources

The program provides dedicated lab space, equipment, fabrication, and funds. Students are expected to submit requests, track expenses, and maintain records in order to use these resources.

Milestones

Teams present their progress at each mid-term and at the end of the fall semester. These presentations give the student a place to practice communication and solicit feedback. The program culminates in the Design Expo, where students show any prototype and a project poster to the general public, and give final presentations to their advisors, liaisons, and DAB members.

Design Advisory Board

Student teams are also guided by a dedicated group of volunteers from the engineering community who lend their expertise to our students and our program by reviewing our student’s presentations and reports.