Seniors rev up for design competition 
April 30, 2009 by Victoria Gonzalez
Engineers take stage to showcase innovative products for changing world
This electric car conversion kit turned a 1980 Nissan 280Z into a battery-operated vehicle. Courtesy photo
The plans have been drawn for Friday’s showcase of high-tech and innovative engineering designs, the Engineering Senior Competition.
The UNLV College of Engineering will showcase senior design projects in a competition that demonstrates the knowledge and abilities students have obtained in their undergraduate education.
The Senior Design Competition, which is being held at the Cox Pavilion Concourse at UNLV, will have all projects on display from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“It showcases some wonderful things graduating seniors are capable of. It demonstrates everything they’ve learned,” said Kevin S. Nelson, model designer and machinist in the Department of mechanical engineering.
This project makes silent-running electric cars audible for pedestrians who might not see one. Courtesy Photo
Some of the designs include a variable-speed wheelchair, an electric car conversion and a light-rail transportation system. A total of 22 projects will be shown in the event.
According to Director of Sustainability and Multidisciplinary Research Thomas C. Piechota, these projects are part of the seniors’ capstone course and also serve to bring new and inventive ideas to the attention of those on campus.
“I think these projects relate to things going on, on campus. Like the recycling facility on campus that was started after a student developed a design for their senior project years ago,” Piechota said. “Students try to design things for campus impact. “They think outside the box.”
This competition not only showcases the ability of students, but also provides the public with an opportunity to see their tax dollars at work in commercially viable engineering projects. Students work in groups to develop their projects, which promote teamwork, leadership and communication.
Rama Venkat, professor of electrical and computer engineering, said that not only is there the excitement of students being able to see their accomplishments showcased, but the faculty also get to see their hard work pay off, as their students come up with these cool projects.
“For UNLV, the cool factor is showing the products it produces, capable engineering students,” Venkat said.
The event will include projects from the mechanical, electrical, computer and civil and environmental engineering departments.
Graduating seniors have a chance to exhibit their projects to faculty, students, public and three industrial judges. The scores from the external judges are used as an external assessment of the school’s undergraduate degree program and also contribute to the accreditation of the program.
The winners will receive a monetary prize of either $2500, $1000 or $500.
Engineering senior and CSUN Vice President Vik Sehdev will be presenting the light-rail transportation system along with Trevor Ross, Bao Tran Tran, and Anton Vialtsin.
“We feel good about it. We’ve put a lot of work into it,” Sehdev said.
The projects vary widely, but all allow students to do something significant and interesting to them.
College of Engineering Dean Eric Sandgren said that the projects vary widely, but all allow students to do something significant and interesting..
“These are the students who will, hopefully, solve the big problems. Every year the projects get better and every year the bar is raised,” Sandgren said.
“They have higher expectations, resulting in an amazing job and elevating designs.”
Very cool indeed.
Wish I had known about it when it happened.
Definitely would have checked some of this stuff out.