Senior Design Projects
Engineering Design
Engineering design is a process of devising a system, component, or process to meet desired needs and specifications within constraints. It is an iterative, creative, decision-making process in which the basic sciences, mathematics, and engineering sciences are applied to convert resources into solutions. Engineering design involves identifying opportunities, developing requirements, performing analysis and synthesis, generating multiple solutions, evaluating solutions against requirements, considering risks, and making trade-offs, for the purpose of obtaining a high-quality solution under the given circumstances. For illustrative purposes only, examples of possible constraints include accessibility, aesthetics, codes, constructability, cost, ergonomics, extensibility, functionality, interoperability, legal considerations, maintainability, manufacturability, marketability, policy, regulations, schedule, standards, sustainability, or usability.
The main purpose of the senior design project classes is to facilitate application oriented hands-on group project studies. Social, environmental and economical impacts of the projects are emphasized and questioned in these classes. Students have two options to choose:
1. Application oriented, hands-on, group or individual projects spread over two semesters (EE491-492 projects)
2. Individual studies (one semester)
If the first option is selected, EE491 is taken in one semester and EE492 is taken in the following semester. EE491 is a 3 credit complementary class, whereas EE492 is a 4 credit, mandatory class. Taking just EE491 without a related EE492 is not allowed. EE491-492 option is not only for group projects. An individual can also choose a project spanning over two semesters.
If the second option is selected, senior design project becomes an individual effort of one semester. Each student takes the mandatory EE492 course and completes it individually in a single semester.
To start a senior design project, a project proposal must be written and approved by at least three faculty members. After the approval of the proposal, students are registered to the senior design classes. Students are asked to return a midterm report in the middle of the semester and a final report at the end of the semester. A project presentation must be done at the end of the semester, as well.
We would like majority of the students to choose the application oriented hands-on group projects spanning over two semesters. At the end of these projects real, working devices and systems are implemented by a group work. These projects train students on how to work in groups and how to develop products from concept to reality. This is a good chance to show innovative and entrepreneurial skills. Perhaps, what are done in these projects would be demonstrated on the corridors of our department as examples to future generations. Prototypes of future products may be formed in these projects. The ideas in these projects may start new companies.
Information about project proposals, proposed, ongoing and completed projects, names of the students assigned to projects, important deadlines and templates of reports and other forms are published on the following website with a searchable database.
