Academics

College announces fall 2014 Engineering Design Showcase winners

Students show off their Moringa Seed Press, one of many projects displayed at the Engineering Design Showcase on Dec. 11. Credit: Cole Hons / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The winners of the fall Engineering Design Showcase were announced on Thursday, Dec. 11, at the Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus of Penn State.

The event was the culmination of a semester-long effort by students to solve real-world problems posed by industry sponsors. Participants included first-year students through seniors across multiple engineering disciplines.

Three projects received the Lockheed Martin Design Award for best project:

--“Solar Car Racer Exhibit” for Discovery Space of Central Pennsylvania by Ryan Bartok, Matthew Brodzik, Kaitlyn Skillman, Kyle Tress and Shawn Yi, advised by Rhett Jefferies, instructor in mechanical engineering;

--“PHOD Manual” for Nearth Company by Edward Calhoun, Yubu Malhotra, Isaac Moore and Dylan Radka, advised by Gary Neal, instructor in mechanical engineering; and

--“A60 Fire Door” for TMP by Ali Aljerfi, Kevin Lafrate and Siddharth Madhavapeddi, advised by Damian Rose, an engineer in the Applied Research Laboratory.

Second place for best project went to “Fabrication, Testing and Cost Analysis of a One-Step Diffused Junction Nanocone Solar Cell” for Penn State and Bandgap Engineering by Michael Eckert, Adam Fink and Rinkal Patel, advised by Allen Kimel, assistant professor of materials science and engineering.

Third place was awarded to four projects:

--“Determination of the transverse rigidity of steel” for Bridon American by Michael Answini, Anthony Fodel and Keith Howard, advised by Mike Erdman, Walter L. Robb Director of Engineering Leadership Development;

--“Combine IV Set Spike, Drip Chamber, and Roller Clamp into one unit” for B. Braun Medical by Christopher Gigliotti, Ryan Hatton, Colin Tkatch and Yee-Kuen Yam, advised by Margaret Slattery, assistant professor of biomedical engineering;

--“Improving Bill of Process Collaboration and Workflow” for General Motors by Xi Chen, Thomas Dalbo, Nicholas Gordon and Kylie Hostrander, advised by Al Verbanec, instructor in computer science and engineering; and

--“Sheet count automation” for SEKISUI-SPI by Kaitlyn Gannon, James Mayeski and Spencer Paret, advised by Timothy Simpson, professor of industrial engineering and mechanical engineering.

The best poster award went to “Geo Drill Rig” for Thar Geothermal, LLC by Domenic Borgese, Jordan Brennan, Katherine Kennedy, Jared Martin and Ryan Snider, advised by Scott Lewis, assistant professor of mechanical engineering.

Second place for best poster went to “Boeing Hovercraft Senior Design Project” for the Boeing Company by Joel Alexander, Cory Hunt, Nathan Myer and Jose Upegui, advised by Wallace Catanach, instructor in engineering design.

Third place went to two projects:

--“Additive Manufacturing of Naval Support Equipment Hydraulic Pump” for Naval Air Systems Command by Steven Aloia, Kevin Masterton, Tyler Nelson and Dalton Petrillo, advised by Gary Neal; and

--“Lean process and equipment design for qualification test” for Philips Ultrasound by Anel Abdrashova, Rustem Baidashev, Maria Nusiner and Piyu Sun, advised by Dave Cannon, associate professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering.

The BP People’s Choice Award went to “Solar Car Racer Exhibit” for Discovery Space of Central Pennsylvania.

Digipath Corporation received the Best Sponsor Award.

Last Updated December 15, 2014