Engineering Physics Bachelor of Science

Engineering Physics Senior Design Capstone Project

The Engineering Physics Senior Design Capstone Project is arguably the pinnacle of the 4-year Engineering Physics program wherein the students apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired during their undergraduate education to accomplish a "Capstone" project. The project spans two semesters and is the most important challenge of the senior year. It is supervised by physics or engineering faculty, and the students design, fabricate, operate, and dispose of a system that satisfies a formal set of specifications in a manner that is cost effective and conforms to a pre-determined schedule.

The prime objective is to simulate a professional work environment, to provide experience working in a group, to provide a realistic understanding of the engineering design process and accompanying trade-offs, and to refine skills in information-gathering and communication through technical drawings, and oral and written presentations. The year-long effort is run like a typical NASA research project wherein the students write a proposal to the Engineering Physics programming committee addressing their project of choice and conduct a Preliminary Design Review and a Conceptual Design Review in the first semester. The second semester follows with fabrication, testing, Mission Readiness Review, and Final Report and presentation.

Over the past several years, Engineering Physics Senior Design Teams have participated in national competitions sponsored by the likes of NASA, AIAA, ASME, AAS, IEEE etc. A few of these reports can be accessed below.

• Asteroid Assay Satellite for Path Identification, Research and Investigation of the Near Earth Object Apophis (AASPIRIN)
• InfraRed and Optical Space Interferometer (ROSI)
• Plasma Accelerated Reusable Transport System (PARTS)
• *Visual Train Model (VTM)

*Sponsored and funded by Boeing