Top capstone teams compete at design showcase

Thirteen student teams from the University of Saskatchewan College of Engineering (USask Engineering) competed for $7000 in prizes March 29 at the college’s Undergraduate Design Showcase, which is presented by the Saskatoon Engineering Society.

“You are absolutely being the engineers the world needs and our profession will benefit from your knowledge, your skills and your capable, steady hands,” USask Engineering Dean Suzanne Kresta told the groups as the evening concluded.

The groups highlighted at the showcase were judged as the top teams at earlier discipline-specific events where all teams presented their capstone design projects. Students in the college are required to complete the capstone design class, which spans both semesters, in which they are assigned a design project from a real-world client with an engineering problem.  

“This is an amazing array of projects, ideas and disciplines,” said Kresta, who noted that for the first time in many years the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board, which monitors programs at Canada's engineering schools, has implemented a new definition of engineering design.

“Our scope has been expanded to include, ‘health and safety, sustainability, environmental, ethical, security, economic, aesthetics and human factors, feasibility and compliance with regulatory aspects, along with universal design issues such as societal, cultural and diversification facets,’ ” Kresta said. 

 

Mechanical Engineering Group 1: Uranium Slurry Tote Redesign

• Natasha Bzowey, Jaspaul Kaler, Reid Musgrove, Sophia Scott

Mechanical Engineering Group 2: Free-Air Cooling System for Walk-in Liquor Store Refrigerators

• Aidan Conacher, Rylan Cook, Layne Flad, Tanner Washington

Mechanical Engineering Group 3: Belt Winder Optimization Project

• Clint Barnson, Matt Jones, Kirsten Neville, Kevin Waldron

Civil Engineering Group 1: Iosegun Embankment Project

• Marco Cheng, Dallin Ferbey, Esraa Shamess

Civil Engineering Group 2: Lutheran Road Intersection Review

• Simon Ford, Fernando Gonzalez, Kyle Lucas, Nicholi Perera

Geological Engineering Group: Mitigating Groundwater Impacts from a Legacy Landfill

• Kevin Bolster, Michael Fairlamb, Troy Yesnik

Environmental Engineering Group: Organic Advantage Engineering Anaerobic Digester

• Laura Bodie, Shanleigh McKeown, Christie Paquette, Joe Zuck

Electrical Engineering Group: Canary Cup: A Smart Menstrual Cup

• Husna Rahman Audora, Avery Harder, Oluwapelumi Ilesanmi, Isaac Poirier, Bradley Vankoughnett

Computer Engineering Group: Wireless LED Bracelet

• Ethan Eger, Carter Laube, Elijah Madsen, Hunter Whyte

Chemical Engineering Group 1: Nuclear Fusion Fuel Recovery

• Mitchell Geier, Cole Sanchez, Carson Vogel

Chemical Engineering Group 2: Nutrien Allan Crystallizer Circuit Optimization

• Abby Gulka, Marissa Hawkes, Kasia McChesney, Taylor Voth

Engineering Physics Group: Stereoscopic Meteor Imager

• Emily Alexander, Paul Hughes, Ryan Mamer, Brian Pitzel

General Engineering Group: Novel Device for Reduction of Chronic Back Pain in Dentistry

• Kathryn Avery, Connor Clapson, Hanzalah Hussain, Alex Mayhew, Haiden Murray

Best Industry Design, Sponsored by The Mosaic Company

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.

Winner ($1000): Uranium Slurry Tote Redesign (Mechanical Engineering)

Runner Up ($500): Organic Advantage Engineering Anaerobic Digester (Environmental Engineering)

 

Best Product Design, Sponsored by the Saskatoon Engineering Society

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

Winner ($1000): Novel Device for Reduction of Chronic Back Pain in Dentistry (General Engineering)

Runner Up ($500): Canary Cup: A Smart Menstrual Cup (Electrical Engineering)

 

Most Positive Potential Social Impact, Sponsored by PCL Construction

Judged the project the judges feel is most capable of a positive social impact, particularly the ability to help people.

Winner ($1000): Canary Cup: A Smart Menstrual Cup (Electrical Engineering)

 

Most Positive Potential Environmental Impact, Sponsored by Pinter & Associates

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.

Winner ($1000): Free-Air Cooling System for Walk-in Liquor Store Refrigerators (Mechanical)

 

Best Consultation Award, Sponsored by Hatch

To the team that judges felt did the best job of working collaboratively with clients and other stakeholders throughout the design process.

Winner ($1000): Belt Winder Optimization Project (Mechanical Engineering)

 

Audience Choice Award, Sponsored by the Engineering Advancement Trust

To the team that judged most deserving, as voted on by the audience.

Winner ($1000): Wireless LED Bracelet