The MEMS curriculum culminates in the hallmark experience that immerses our students in a hands-on, learn-by-doing environment. They apply the Department’s humanistic approach to engineering problem-solving as they identify, select, and address problems whose solutions have the potential for societal impact. We have them solve the tough problems. Projects are drawn from:
- industry partners and sponsors,
- research labs on campus, or
- student interest.
These team-based projects develop our students’ technical and professional skills through design analysis and prototyping, technical communication workshops, and project management sessions.
Skills mastery is assessed through an industry lens.
A distinctive attribute of this course is shared ownership of each project through a community of practice. Real-world application of their classwork knowledge to timely and relevant problems prepares students for a career in technical and professional leadership.
The capstone is a personalized experience for each student as they define a path to a solution, while ensuring cohesion with their other teammates through weekly meetings with the faculty.
The first semester is characterized by an intensive series of hands-on laboratories focused in design elements and manufacturing, principles of design, mastery of hands-on manufacturing tools and techniques. They then build and test their projects to satisfy their client’s needs throughout the second semester.
Technical communication is addressed in a series of deliverables; examples of which are found in the Project Archive. These outcomes include:
- Weekly technical memos, executive summaries, and team updates,
- Presentations twice a semester, critiqued by clients, faculty, and classmates,
- A full technical report that documents their design process, analysis, and final design,
- A product brochure that explains their work to a lay audience, OR a 3-minute recorded elevator pitch directed toward potential investors.
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