Senior Design Showcase
The Senior Design Showcase is a semi-annual event at the College of Engineering & Computing featuring projects conceptualized and built by nearly 400 senior engineering and computer science students.
It attracts over 900 attendees, including community members, executives and recruiters from businesses and government agencies. The event takes place every Fall and Spring at FIU’s Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
About the Senior Design Project
Senior design projects allow faculty to integrate course objectives and assess learning outcomes for Mechanical Engineering undergraduates. Projects are imagined, designed, iterated upon, and validated over two semesters in groups of three to five students.
Student teams gain hands-on experience interacting with corporate partners, receiving feedback and developing actionable goals and deliverables. They also engage with subject matter experts, gaining valuable insight and skills that prepare them for industry roles after graduation.
The senior design project is split into two courses: EML 4551, Ethics and Design Organization (one credit) and EML 4905, Senior Design Project (three credits).
In the first course, Design Organization, students form design teams, select a project and complete the preliminary design and validation plan.
In Senior Design Project, they complete detailed and final design work, which may include creating a prototype (full-scale, miniature, functional, or mock-up) or an engineering design framework and feasibility study for larger systems like an HVAC system.
Throughout the process, student teams are guided by a project mentor (a member of the senior design faculty in the MME Department) and a project advisor (an external expert in the relevant disciplines). Students are evaluated based on specific student outcomes by the end of the project.
Sponsor a Project
Industry sponsorship is crucial to the success of the projects, providing direct ties to the industry and guidance from experienced advisors. These partnerships enhance the learning experience for student-teams and contribute to better project outcomes.
Corporate partners can assess mentorship abilities in their staff/engineers by assigning them as advisors and evaluating team performance in a low-risk environment.
Project advisors' responsibilities include:
- Interacting with the student team for at least one hour per week, whether in person, by phone, or virtually.
- Attending the final presentation and showcase each semester.
- Providing feedback on student progress and performance to the teaching team at the end of each semester.
For more information about sponsoring a project, email Keving Boutsen at kboutsen@fiu.edu.
Senior Design Project Submission
To support a strong set of projects, please share your project idea, potential deliverables, required disciplinary background and resource needs. If you have questions or are still formulating your idea, email bboesl@fiu.edu.
During the project selection stage, preference is given to industry-sponsored projects that meet ABET evaluation criteria. Industry-sponsored projects require a minimum donation of $500, with 50% allocated to student teams for materials and supplies and 50% for program administration. Unselected projects may be considered for future semesters.
Projects proposed by faculty, non-profits, student clubs or students will be considered at a reduced rate.