School of Engineering Holds Inaugural Capstone Project Symposium

From: Public Affairs

The School of Engineering will hold its inaugural capstone symposium from 1-4:30 p.m. Friday, April 20, on the first floor of the ISAT/CS building.

The Symposium will include projects from the school's first senior class. The School of Engineering admitted its inaugural class in 2008. The capstone projects are a culmination of the design experience that enables students to address real-world needs through the application of a design process, design methods, systems thinking and sustainability perspectives. The students, who work on teams of four to seven members, began their projects during their junior years.

In each of the four semesters of their capstone projects, students were required to prepare a formal design report as well as deliver a formal presentation to faculty, student peers and external constituents.

This year's senior projects involved:
• Designing and building a device that will aid biology research and training for biology faculty in area colleges and high schools.
• Designing an electric-powered scooter specifically for university students
• Using a design from nature to improve energy efficiency in a technology.
• Making improvements to the Harrisonburg Resource Recovery Facility.
• Designing control products for the food and beverage processing market
• Energy modeling
• Designing a process for standardizing solar hydrogen research
• Designing a robot that can fight fires without human assistance
• Designing a composting system for food waste generated at JMU
• Designing a sustainable health clinic for Sub-Saharan Africa

More details about the School of Engineering can be found on its website.