Onlookers marveled at the demonstration of an experimental airfoil designed by mechanical engineering students to reinvent the traditional airplane wing. A few tables away a group of seniors partnered with Florida Power and Light to create a one-bolt bracket system to keep streetlights more secure during strong storms. Across the Shalala Student Center, seniors preparing to graduate presented their senior design projects which represent months of experimentation aimed at solving real-world challenges.
Working with the Miami-based aviation company GlobalX, a group of students focused on streamlining the process of conformity inspections, which are critical to ensuring aircraft meet all safety and regulatory standards before flights. By identifying and eliminating inefficiencies in the inspection process, the students projected a potential annual saving of $3.7 million for GlobalX, while also reducing aircraft downtime.
Other standout projects, like Nalox Near-U, came from the biomedical engineering department to create an UberEATS-style app to help prevent overdose deaths. The app facilitates the rapid delivery of naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, to users in critical need, potentially saving lives through timely intervention. A multidisciplinary project included the design of a new South Dade Transit Operations Center responsible for charging, maintaining, and operating a fleet of electric buses serving a new transit line between Dadeland and Homestead.
Reflecting on the project, graduating senior Christopher Papas said the most rewarding part of the experience was that “we’re all engineers in different disciplines. We had a civil engineer, environmental engineer, mechanical engineer, and structural engineer come together to create a strong, cohesive project that we’re all collectively proud of.”
The expo also allowed students to interact with industry professionals who provided valuable feedback and insights as they launched their careers. Many of these were alumni returning to support and guide the new generation of engineers.
Watch a recap of the 2024 Senior Design Expo:
2024 Senior Design Expo Winners
- Biomedical Engineering: Nalox – NearU; Tyler Benjamin, Liv Nikolich, Sylvia Ortiz
- Civil and Architectural Engineering: ACE Engineering: South Dade Transit Operations Center; Christopher Papa, Anthony Carfora, Andres Solorio, Bita Abadian, Seba Alawadhi
- Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering: Civilutions Consultants: University of Miami Stormwater Management & Design of New Engineering Building; Will Kalis, Mathew Birtman, Daniela Sanguily, Nicolas Esquivel
- Electrical and Computer Engineering: H.A.R. Housing and Roommate Searching Made Easy; Jose Luis Abrams, Juliano Plata, Yasin Erkilic
- Industrial and Systems Engineering: GlobalX Airworthy Compliance; Vittoria Marinoni, Dilara Erkilic, Lucas Bernabeu
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: Hybrid Flow Air Foil; Ruben Escobar, John Baringer, Joshua Prabahar, Neyton Baltodano
- Best Expo Display: Hybrid Flow Air Foil
- Best Expo Poster: Caremax Medical Transportation Optimization
- Best Expo Video: Muscle Memory: sEMG Wearable
- People's Choice Award: 1st place: FPL One Bolt Bracket; 2nd place: Stormwater Management System & UM CoE Campus Expansion; 3rd place (tied): ABG Now and GlobalX Airworthy Compliance
- Industry Impact: FPL One Bolt Bracket
- Best Senior Design Project: Hybrid Flow Air Foil
Watch the full live stream of the 2024 Senior Design Expo:
