Design projects completed for West Michigan companies by the newest Grand Valley graduating class of engineers will be on display at a special event August 4.
The 19th annual Engineering Design Conference will take place from 1:30-4 p.m. in the Kennedy Hall of Engineering and Keller Engineering Laboratories on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. About 20 projects completed by 116 students will be on display. Projects include a GPS radio collar for wildlife researchers, upgrades to Grand Haven's musical fountain, and a new residential trash cart design.
The event will celebrate the completion of the students' senior design project and the Grand Valley partnership with local industry, in which teams of students solve engineering design problems sponsored by local organizations. The event is open to the public.
Paul Plotkowski, dean of the Padnos College of Engineering and Computing, said the projects are outstanding examples of the effectiveness of Grand Valley's engineering programs, and display the increasing need for engineering talent.
"Interest by students in engineering and the need for graduates are both at an all-time high," Plotkowski said. "Enrollment has more than doubled over the past 10 years, and employers indicate that we are still not meeting the growing demand."
The university recently purchased the Ferris Coffee and Nut building on Winter Avenue in Grand Rapids to address the need for more educational engineering space. The space, the Design and Innovation Center, will support cooperative education and extensive project-based programs — the hallmarks of Grand Valley's engineering programs. Grand Valley is planning on moving into the 63,385-square-foot facility in summer 2018.
The Order of the Engineer Graduate Ceremony will take place on the same day and will celebrate the 116 graduating students. Engineering graduates at Grand Valley earn their degrees later than the traditional spring ceremony because they complete a year-long co-op experience with a company. The ceremony will follow the conference at 5:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Eberhard Center.
Sponsors of this year's senior projects include General Motors, Stryker, Cascade Engineering, DornerWorks, E3 Compliance, Gentex, Herman Miller, L-3, Adient, PADNOS, Hydro-Chem Systems, Koops, Tennant, Active Inspection and CWC.
For more information, contact the GVSU School of Engineering at (616) 331-6750.
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