Page 23 - CEGE Magazine - Fall 2016

CEGE CAPSTONE DESIGN COURSE MENTORS
The CEGE Capstone Design course is a unique experience for our students and unique among engineering programs. Our community partners are essential to making the Capstone course a success.
Capstone Design pairs student teams with practicing, professional engineers from rms and organizations in the Twin Cities area. Together they solve real-world engineering challenges. Most of the projects are local, but some have been located overseas, for example, in Somalia and Honduras—electronic communications are useful in these situations.
The bene ts these projects hold for students are perhaps obvious: experience, application, speci c mentoring, teamwork, exposure to professional practices and professional of ces, and con dence from completing a project. In the face of these payoffs, students are invested and work hard to be successful.
Bene ts for mentor rms are also abundant. We hear many comments about the grati cation of working with young engineers and about the pride and ful llment that comes from contributing to the future of the eld. Tangible bene ts also accrue: continuing education credits and meeting some possible future employees, not to mention the work the students produce. We would love to have you join in and experience these bene ts, too!
Here is how it works. Mentors supply a project for students to work on over one semester. Students choose a project based on their interests. Once teams are assigned, mentors meet regularly with their student team, usually about two hours a week—varying, of course, with the type and stage of each project. As the projects progress, mentors may provide background information, technical assistance, or guidance. Mentors are encouraged to let students make important, project-related decisions. Mentoring does require a time commitment, and so we are very grateful for the engineers and rms who step up.
Students get input from course instructors and other experts as well. In class, students study ethics, communication, teamwork, public policy, business models, and the process leading to licensure. The nal output of the students’ work is a report, but may also include a set of contract documents. Students present the report orally and in writing for instructors and mentors, and sometimes for the client.
The Capstone Course is offered each semester.
To participate in this valuable and rewarding endeavor, contact Cathy French, Director of Undergraduate Studies (cfrench@umn.edu).
We thank the following rms who have offered Capstone projects within the last year.
Alliant Engineering, Inc.: Thomas Jensen, PE
Barr Engineering: Joel N. Swenson, PE, Raul Velasquez, Ph.D.
Bay West: Bob DeGroot, PE, PG, and Jonna Bjelland, EIT, Donovan Hannu, PE, Matt Schemmel, PG, and Jonna Bjelland, EIT BKBM Engineers: Tierney Broberg, EIT, and Katie Meehan, EIT
City of Edina: Chad Millner, PE, and Carter Schulze, PE
DLR Group: John A. Tinker, PE, SE, Daniel Caron, EIT, and Aly Carney, EIT
HGA: Lauren Snyder, Anton Tillman, Andrew Atkins, PE, and Jon Weaver, PE
Kimley-Horn: Brian Wurdeman, PE, and Marco Weidmer, EIT
LimnoTech: Craig Taylor, PE, and Nick Grewe, EIT
Meyer Borgman Johnson: Tina Benedict, PE, Matt Smith, PE, Eric Corwin, PE, and Saura Jost, PE
MnDOT Bridge Of ce: Tony Lesch, PE, and Ashley Grzybowski, PE
MnDOT Of ce of Materials & Road Research: Rich Lamb, PE, and, Bernard Igbafen Izevbekhai, PE, Ph.D.
SRF Consulting Group, Inc.: Emily Gross, PE, Joseph DeVore, EIT, and Clayton Bayer, EIT, Tom Sachi, and Walter Eshenaur, PE TKDA: Bob Krussow, PE, LEED AP
USDA–Natural Resources Conservation Service: Scott Swanberg, PE, and Amanda Smith, PE
WSB & Associates: Janelle Borgen, PE, PTOE, and Katy Thompson, PE, CFM
University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering | DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND GEO- ENGINEERING 23