Alternative fuel for airplanes, a purification system for wells contaminated with metals, and menstrual pads that test for hormone levels associated with disease are among the roughly 200 senior capstone projects that will be on display June 9 at the 2023 College of Engineering Expo.
About 1,200 students will take part in the event, which is free and open to the public. The expo will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside and outside the Kelley Engineering Center, 2500 Monroe Ave., and an awards ceremony and reception will follow.
"The Engineering Expo is a highlight of our year," said Scott Ashford, Kearney Dean of Engineering. "It's incredible to see how all of our talented students showcase the skills they learn here at Oregon State."
Students share their work through models, demonstrations and posters at the expo, which is sponsored by Pacific Power. Everything on display to in-person visitors can also be viewed online, and another 40 projects will be shown online only.
Individuals, companies, national laboratories and other government agencies sponsor the projects and provide mentorship to the students. Boeing, Daimler, Genentech, Hoffman Construction, HP, Jacobs, NuScale, Pacific Power and Portland General Electric also sponsor awards; representatives from the companies will act as judges and presenters.
Capstone projects on display in person also include:
- A robot that follows a patient and alerts caregivers of falls or abnormal movements associated with cardiac events or seizures.
- A study testing the effects of wind forces on photovoltaic panels.
- Retrofitting the Beaver Classic food truck to operate on sustainable energy.
- A design for an energy generation system for a scientific mission to Mars.
Among the online-only projects are a mobile app to help firefighters estimate how much equipment they need to bring to an active fire; a drone camera for gathering data about sea turtles; and an app that identifies birds by their songs.
In addition to the student capstone projects, a range of College of Engineering clubs and organizations, including the Concrete Canoe Team, Formula One Racing, Baja Racing, and rocketry and aeronautics groups, will have displays at Kelley.
