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Session 15470

Senior Project Presentations

Beverly J. Hunter, Stanley J. Pisarski, Kathy C. Bearden University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

Abstract

The current paper describes the Senior Project Proposal and Senior Project classes that comprise the capstone design sequence for Engineering Technology students at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. This design sequence is required for all Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering Technology students. The paper discusses the investigative work required prior to undertaking a project design, the types of projects that are undertaken, the sources of project ideas and the magnitude of the projects. Descriptions of both courses for all three majors are provided.

I. Course Organization

The Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Technology programs at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown require a capstone design sequence where students prepare a project proposal and then complete a senior project design. This two-term course sequence is taken during the last two terms before graduation.

The first portion of the capstone course is Senior Project Proposal. Civil Engineering Technology (CET) students form groups, formulate the initial idea for the project and write a preliminary proposal. The entire CET faculty reads the preliminary proposals to determine if the ideas have merit and to suggest revisions. Students continue to rewrite the preliminary proposal until it is accepted and then begin work on a final proposal. The final proposal also goes through an iterative process. It is eventually used as an outline for the senior project work that follows in the next term. Student groups make five-minute presentations before the sophomore, junior and senior CET students at the end of the term to describe their proposed projects. The second portion of the capstone course is the Senior Project course. Students perform design calculations and produce written reports and drawings to document their work. Each week during the term students meet with their advisors to discuss progress and problems. At the end of the term, student groups make presentations before students, faculty, project sponsors and interested members of the local community.

The Senior Project Proposal course taken by Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) students has undergone major revisions in recent years to modify the course sequence format. These modifications were instituted to increase the probability for successful senior project completion. In the proposal phase the students draft a proposal for their senior project that is circulated among the EET faculty for approval. Functional specifications, block diagram design, time schedules and task division among the project members quickly follow the proposal and the term

“Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2001, American Society for Engineering Education”

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Pisarski, S., & Hunter, B., & Bearden, K. (2001, June), Senior Project Presentations Paper presented at 2001 Annual Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 10.18260/1-2--9768