The Two-Semester Senior Design

The perfect way to engage with the right students

Senior students solve real-life engineering problems for industry sponsors in this two-semester course. Students learn about the principles of design, how ethics affect engineering decisions, how professionals communicate ideas, and the day-to-day implications of intellectual property. The program gives students the chance to apply the technical skills they have gained, and to expand their abilities in analysis-based innovation and engineering judgment.

Students begin by researching the problem, brainstorming a range of solutions, and traveling to the sponsor company site to learn more about the company and the project. As their projects take form, student teams keep in touch with their industrial and faculty mentors, hold meetings, write formal documentation, and make presentations on their work. By the end of the year, each team produces a working or virtual demonstration of their solution.

The Senior Design Program teaches the kinds of expertise industries are looking for in employees:

• strong communication skills (students present their ideas in writing and in presentations, use graphical and multimedia tools in the design process and create a design notebook)
• active problem analysis (students learn about brainstorming, problem solving, group dynamics and benchmarking)
• design analysis (students learn design processes, standards and experimentation, and use of leading CAD and analysis software)
• patent, intellectual property and copyright law essentials (students gain exposure to this important area of business knowledge)

Corporate sponsors have a chance to meet and work with students for focused hiring, and industry representatives can get to know UConn graduate students and faculty for future consulting and research opportunities.

Sponsorship consists of:

• a $9,000 grant that funds a single discipline project, or
• a $11,000 grant that funds a multi-discipline project, and
• includes up to $1,000 of hardware and material costs.

Sponsors provide a technical representative to periodically meet with the team, monitor and mentor their progress, and infuse real-world input and guidance.

Senior Design Demonstration Day

Senior Design Demonstration Day gives parents, friends and sponsors the chance to see projects at work, ask questions of students, and learn more about mechanical engineering at the University of Connecticut. Students explain their projects to visitors and a team of judges chosen from local engineering industries. The judges review the projects and award first- to third-place cash prizes for excellence. An additional prize is awarded to a team chosen by faculty voters. UConn Mechanical Engineering students demonstrate that they are prepared to lead, create and innovate through their senior projects. Many seniors have been offered jobs from their company sponsor before graduation.

Please contact us to sponsor a project or to learn more.

Professor Vito Moreno
Instructor, Senior Design Class
moreno@engr.uconn.edu
860-486-5342

Professor Horea Ilies
Mechanical Engineering Department Head
horea.ilies@uconn.edu

• The Two-Semester Senior Design
• Corporate Engagement
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• Outreach
• Alumni