What Makes A Good Project?
Successful senior design projects are real engineering challenges that allow students to apply the full engineering design process while delivering meaningful results for the sponsor. Projects should be appropriately scoped for a team of students to complete over a two-semester academic year and should include opportunities for design, analysis, prototyping, and testing.
- Characteristics of a strong project include: A real engineering challenge. Projects should involve open-ended problems that require engineering analysis, creativity, and design decision-making rather than routine or purely analytical tasks.
- Clear goals with flexible solutions: The project should define the problem and constraints while allowing students to explore multiple possible design approaches.
- Appropriate scope for a student team: Projects should be achievable for a team of 4–6 students working over two semesters while still requiring meaningful engineering effort.
- Opportunities for prototyping or testing: Strong projects often involve developing prototypes, experimental setups, simulations, or validation testing to evaluate design performance.
- Sponsor engagement and mentorship: A successful project includes a sponsor representative who can provide technical insight, answer questions, and help guide the team toward practical solutions.
Projects that are on a critical timeline for a company, require highly restricted information, or depend on proprietary resources that cannot be shared with students are typically not appropriate for a senior design course. Instead, the best projects are exploratory or developmental efforts that benefit from fresh ideas and innovative thinking.
2026 Senior Design Capstone Projects
Brady Kufeldt | Zeke Werner | Holden Eigenberger | Andrew McLeod | Matas Katieb
Austin Martinez | Andrew Diaz | Braden Kozola | Jett Dickerson | Julian Amundson | Robert Batt | Zach Goldner
Brody Karhu | Zach Lemire | Hunter Kirk | Jaden Cook | Mackenzie Reigel | Taylor Leivstad | Steven Schimack | Jonathan Anderson
Naomi Katzmann | Brian Mead | Jacob Schneider | Brendan Smyth | Jonny Williams | Ashley Wood | Scott Wright
Thaddaeus Christensen | Carson McArtor | Aidan Kautzman | Haydon Mullinax | John Stewart | Colter Nichols | Noah Nelson
Ethan Bartholomew | Jonathan Crider | Brody Greene | Cullen McGee | Johan Muscutt | Cade Pugh
Connor Fisbeck | Chance Johnson | Nathan Johnson | Derek Mehal | Sam Mitchell | Thomas Paral | Trent Slade | Matthew Vannatta
Lancelot Huffman | Walter Duquette | Landon Rau | Hayden Goedeker | Tyler Camphouse | Jordan True
Thomas Sullivan | Alexander Nichols | Braxton Rosner | Broden Mathes | Ashtynn Jervis | Payson Webb | Jake Nelson | Justin Van Kirk
Why Sponsor A project?
Partnering with the University of Wyoming Mechanical Engineering Senior Design program allows organizations to collaborate with motivated senior engineering students while advancing real-world engineering challenges. Sponsors gain motivated student engagement, dedicated design effort, and meaningful engagement with future engineers.
Benefits of sponsoring a project include:
- Dedicated engineering effort: Teams of 4–6 senior students work on your project over two semesters, contributing significant hundreds of hours toward design, analysis, prototyping, and testing.
- Access to university resources: Projects benefit from UW faculty guidance, laboratories, machine shops, and prototyping equipment.
- Fresh perspectives and innovative ideas: Student teams bring new approaches to engineering challenges and early-stage concept development.
- Mentorship and collaboration opportunities: Sponsors engage directly with students, providing technical insight while helping shape the next generation of engineers.
- Recruiting and visibility: Sponsorship offers early access to talented students and increased visibility within the UW College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.
