THE DESIGN EXPERIENCE
The Department of Mechanical Engineering has two senior design pathways for our two degree programs – Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering. Both programs present at the end of semester Showcase event, but have slightly different parameters.
The mission of our department’s senior design programs is to develop engineering students who are exceptional at developing innovative solutions to complex, real-world problems. To accomplish this, our senior-level students work in teams on a two-semester design project where they solve a real-world problem. By actively engaging in this design experience, our students learn how to apply a structured design process that fosters innovative solutions, how to analyze complex problems using knowledge gained in previous coursework, and how to build a solution using state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques.
DESIGN PROJECTS
The design projects our students work on are diverse and reflect the diverse interests of our students. Our partners are companies from industry that range from small startups to large corporations, community members and organizations, and faculty researchers. In addition, we highly encourage student entrepreneurs to work on their own projects. We are always seeking new partners.
THE WISCONSIN IDEA
Always permeating our design process is The Wisconsin Idea. The Wisconsin Idea is the principle that the university should improve people’s lives beyond the classroom. It spans UW-Madison’s teaching, research, outreach, and public service. Regardless of the type of design project, we continually encourage our students to consider the larger implications of their work and the potential impact their work will have on other people’s lives.
DESIGN SYMPOSIUM
Every semester in May and December, students present their work at the Undergraduate Research and Design Symposium. This event allows students to showcase their work to the public and engage with their colleagues to discover what they’ve been working on.