Student ingenuity on display at SES Undergraduate Design Showcase

"It’s one of my favourite evenings of the year!"

Suzanne Kresta, dean of the University of Saskatchewan College of Engineering, was enthusiastic in her opening remarks at the 2021 Saskatoon Engineering Society (SES) Undergraduate Design Showcase on March 31.

Though this is the first year the design showcase was held virtually, it still proved popular, drawing nearly 350 students, judges and audience members. Check out this YouTube video of the event.

Thirteen student teams were featured, presenting the college’s top capstone design projects from the 2020-21 academic year. Kresta noted that their completed projects were the culmination of seven to 10 months of hard work. Links to videos of each online presentation are available below.

Following presentations by each team, awards were presented and audience members had a chance to meet with the student teams in virtual breakout rooms.

Awards presented were: Best Product Design, Best Industrial Design, Most Positive Potential Social Impact, Most Potential Positive Environmental Impact and Audience Choice Award. 

The Low-Tech Electrocariograph Project, presented by Electrical and Computer Engineering students Benjamin Cholin, Mackenzie Ethier, Sydney Thomasgard and Stephen Tremblay had a very successful evening, winning three prizes: Audience Choice, Most Positive Social Impact, and second place in Product Design.  

USask Engineering is exceptionally grateful to our sponsors for their support of this event, which provides a platform for our students to showcase their engineering skills. We also appreciate each of the clients who brought their projects to the college, entrusting them with our students.

• Ozonation for Pea Protein Flavour Removal: Harsh Patel, Sim Parmar, Anton Palazo (Chemical Engineering 495)

• Process Design for Extraction and Purification of Natural Colourant from Sour Cherry Pomace: Alexandra Both, Emily Hilton, Larissa Markewic, Skylar Stephenson (Chemical Engineering 495)

• McCarthy Bridge Rehabilitation and Widening Project: Kate Christ, Felize Rosel Ilao, Kathleen Morton, Robert Moser, (Civil Engineering 495)

• Optimization of Waste Rock Dump Design: Angus Angerman, Graydon Hartley, Matthew Malenfant, Blake Weinrauch (Civil Engineering 495)

• Eastlake Avenue Landslide: Ian Adams, Kyle McInnis, Amy Mille, Hugh Partridge (Civil Engineering 495)

• Eskay Creek Mine Design Project: James Fleming, Megan Nivon, Devon Olynyk, Michael Tremblay (Geological Engineering 495)

• College Quarter Stormwater Biofiltration and Reuse: Ivan Dusyk, Rene Kreutzwieser, Alison Marshall, Shaylan Rath (Environmental Engineering 495)

• Hernia Surgery Tool (Novita): Nicholas Kolla, Matthew Johnson, Tyler Reaser (General Engineering 495)

• Pickup Wheelchair Lift: Dillon Forbes, Caleb Kotylak, Steven Li, Jonas Taillon (Mechanical Engineering 495)

• Mobile Solar Pod: Matt Donaldson, Ryan Nguyen, Anthony Robin, Daniel Simon (Mechanical Engineering 495)

• Low-Tech Electrocardiograph: Benjamin Cholin, Mackenzie Ethier, Sydney Thomasgard, Stephen Tremblay (Electrical and Computer Engineering 495)

• E-bike Conversion Kit: Derrin Couture, Marlin Johnston, Jaden Reding, Jonathan Tu (Electrical and Computer Engineering 495)

• Radio Astronomy Dish Mount Design: Liam Hammond, Remington Rohel, Chad Roth (Engineering Physics 495)

Most Positive Potential Social Impact Award, Presented by PCL ($1000)

• To the project that the judges feel is most capable of a positive social impact, as in the ability to help people.

• Judges: Edwin Edquist, Baydo Development Corp Ltd; Tessa Lennox, PCL Construction; Juniper Willard, SES President

• WINNER: Low-Tech Electrocardiograph: Benjamin Cholin, Mackenzie Ethier, Sydney Thomasgard, Stephen Tremblay (ECE 495)

Most Positive Potential Environmental Impact Award, Presented by Pinter & Associates ($1000)

•  To the project that the judges feel is most capable of positive environmental impact, interpreted as the ability to help preserve and/or remediate the natural environment.

• Judges: Angie Bugg, Saskatchewan Environmental Society; Sarah Harrison, Saskatchewan Deputy Minister of the Environment; Sumith Priyashantha, SES Vice-President; Ryan Riess, Pinter & Associates

• WINNER: Mobile Solar Power Pod: Matt Donaldson, Ryan Nguyen, Anthony Robin, Daniel Simon (ME495)

Best Product Design, Presented by the Saskatoon Engineering Society (1st Place: $1000, 2nd Place: $500)

• Awarded to the top two capstone groups that developed a product design. The design should have an overall potential economic, social, and/or environmental impact and students should make a case for the originality of their design.

• Judges: Rick Casson, FarmTRX; Rylan Grant, Delta Point Wireless; Prarthan Mehta, IEEE Senior Member; Jason Skehar, Engineering Advancement Trust Board Member; Ross Welford, RAW Ag-Ventures Ltd.

• 1ST PLACE: Hernia Surgery Tool (Novita): Nicholas Kolla, Matthew Johnson, Tyler Reaser (GE 495)

• 2ND PLACE: Low-Tech Electrocardiograph: Benjamin Cholin, Mackenzie Ethier, Sydney Thomasgard, Stephen Tremblay (ECE 495)

Best Industry Design, Presented by The Mosaic Company (1st Place: $1000, 2nd Place: $500)

• Awarded to the top two capstone groups that developed a large-scale industrial design. The design should have an overall potential economic, social, and/or environmental impact and students should make a case for the originality of their design.

• Judges: Phil Bruch, Golder Associates Ltd.; Peter Haugen, The Mosaic Company; Nathan Rolston, Cameco Corporation; Rajesh Shah, SES Executive Member

• 1ST PLACE: College Quarter Stormwater Biofiltration and Reuse: Ivan Dusyk, Rene Kreutzwieser, Alison Marshall, Shaylan Rath (ENVE 495)

• 2ND PLACE: Process Design for Extraction and Purification of Natural Colourant from Sour Cherry Pomace: Alexandra Both, Emily Hilton, Larissa Markewic, Skylar Stephenson (CHE 495)

Audience Choice Award, Presented by the Engineering Advancement Trust ($1000)

• Awarded to the project that showcase attendees feel is most deserving. All guests virtually attending voted via an online app.

• WINNER: Low-Tech Electrocardiograph: Benjamin Cholin, Mackenzie Ethier, Sydney Thomasgard, Stephen Tremblay (ECE 495)