In 2014, Cal State Fullerton’s College of Engineering & Computer Science launched the annual ECS Student Projects Competition and Showcase, which gives student teams the opportunity to collaborate and demonstrate their knowledge and skills in topics like IoT, automation, and machine learning.
The competition has fostered interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation since its inception, which Sang June Oh, associate dean for ECS, notes is significant. “This is what engineering is all about – working collaboratively to achieve optimal product-making with limited resources and time constraints,” he says. “Diverse ideas can perfect designs and product-making. Without diversity of thought, it’s very challenging to create a complete product.”
The 2022 ECS Student Projects Competition and Showcase
The 2022 event was held on May 2 and was chaired by the co-directors of the Center for Collaborative Research and Prototype Development: Sagil James, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and Kenneth “John” Faller, associate professor of computer engineering. For the first time since the pandemic, the event was in person and open to the public. More than 60 student teams entered the showcase, and 20 projects were selected for the competition.
“This is what engineering is all about – working collaboratively to achieve optimal product-making with limited resources and time constraints.”
Sang June Oh, Associate Dean for the College of Engineering & Computer Science
Students presented their projects to a panel of judges that included industry professionals from NASA, Boeing, and PACE Advanced Water Engineering.
“No matter how great your engineering design and products are, your achievements may be overlooked if you can’t effectively share your ideas with a solid delivery,” Oh explains. “This event helps students practice communicating their ideas with a diverse audience so they can better advocate for themselves and their projects.”
Of the many impressive projects presented, the award and $1,500 prize for Overall Best Student Project went to the legacy project TitanSat Wildfire Detection CubeSat, an early wildfire detection system that uses CubeSat technology to monitor Earth’s surface. Other winners included:
- Second Best Student Project ($1,000) – SONARVERSE Business Intelligence Analytics
- Best Student Project in Civil Engineering ($500) – Service Life Model of Zeolite-Based High-Performance Concrete
- Best Student Project in Computer Engineering ($500) – Underwater Remotely Controlled Vehicle ROV
- Best Student Project in Computer Science ($500) – Recommendation Algorithm
- Best Student Project in Electrical Engineering ($500) – Crime Spotter
- Best Student Project in Mechanical Engineering, Non-Legacy ($500) – LegUp
- Best Student Legacy Project ($500) – Titan Rocket: Project Daedalus
Several of the projects opened doors to other opportunities for students. In their Service Life Model of Zeolite-Based High-Performance Concrete project, students discovered that abundant, inexpensive, eco-friendly zeolite can improve concrete integrity and contribute to longer-lasting, more cost-effective bridges. Their research earned them 2021-22 Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowships from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.
Preparing for Next Year’s Competition and Showcase
With the May 2023 ECS Student Projects Competition and Showcase approaching, students are once again working to develop competitive, impactful creations. Oh hopes to see more interdisciplinary teams in 2023.
“It would be ideal to have business, art, humanities and social science students provide their perspectives to help our students understand the socioeconomic impact of what they’re designing and creating,” he says. “It would help them perfect their designs.”
He also notes that the strongest designs are often the simplest because they’re easier to execute perfectly. “In engineering and computer science, a product that only works 99 percent of the time isn’t good enough. Students must strive for perfection in their creations.”
