The R.B. Annis School of Engineering will hold its DesignSpine Expo on April 14. The event will showcase student-led projects for various campus, corporate and nonprofit clients.
According to the University of Indianapolis, DesignSpine is a team-based experiential learning project for sophomore, junior and senior engineering students, where they create real-world projects for clients. Associate Dean and Director of Engineering Ken Reid said that student teams typically consist of five to six members, and they work together on a single project throughout the year, beginning in August.
Reid and Megan Hammond, associate professor of engineering and coordinator of the DesignSpine program, said that some projects are for internal organizations at UIndy, while others are for external organizations. In addition to these projects, Reid said DesignSpine also includes robotics competitions with other universities. Additionally, according to the event page, student poster presentations will be part of the April 14 event.
According to Hammond and Reid, respectively, examples of campus partners include the Department of Music and the Student Counseling Center. External partners include the Indiana Historical Society and a scooter-based transportation initiative, said Reid and Hammond. Hammond said that what sets DesignSpine apart is how early in their college experience students participate. She said that she has heard from alumni and students returning from internships that their DesignSpine experience has given them a competitive advantage.
“One of the big things that sets DesignSpine apart at this institution is the number of years that our students get to participate in it,” Hammond said. “The schools of engineering [at other universities] oftentimes have what’s called a capstone experience. Usually, that means it’s the end of their program, so typically seniors have a large industry-based project.”
Contrasting with this model, Hammond said UIndy engineering students begin having these industry-based experiences as early as their sophomore year. Reid said that the real-world nature of the UIndy DesignSpine program also distinguishes it from other engineering schools.
“[DesignSpine is] an independent study [and] open-ended project for every team,” Reid said. “Each team has a client and a real-world problem that hasn’t been solved yet. They have all academic year to figure out how to address that problem.”
Reid said he has talked to other engineering programs about integrating this type of experience into their programs. It was easier to do at UIndy, Reid said, because DesignSpine was integrated into the engineering curriculum from the program’s inception.
One project that Hammond said was impactful was the engineering school’s work with the Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV). Hammond said BUV helps rural communities in Africa, where the technology assists with various industries. According to BUV’s website, it is a nonprofit organization based in Indianapolis. A page on BUV’s website lists poverty reduction, education, empowerment of women, health and enterprise among the program’s benefits.
