Engineering hosts first open house

Presentations ranging from robotics to a project to develop a decal applicator for Boeing Company airplanes will be featured at the first WSU College of Engineering and Architecture Open House, April 20 – 21.

The two days of activities will include graduate research posters and demonstrations; undergraduate senior design presentations; student club displays; and an awards luncheon. Events will be held throughout the engineering buildings, Sloan, Dana and the Engineering, Teaching and Research Laboratory (ETRL).

“The engineering fields will be of increasing importance in the 21st century, globally competitive workplace,” said Bob Olsen, associate dean of Undergraduate and Student Services for the College of Engineering and Architecture. “This open house provides the opportunity for the public to become more aware and interested in these important fields.”

Presentations and events include:

Low-Cost Designer Wheel Chair: Working with St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute, a group of engineering and business students have developed a low-cost manual wheel chair that elevates the user to reduce social stigma and empowers users to reach elevated objects. They recently were finalists in a national business plan competition with their project and hope to gain FDA approval for their product soon. The presentation will take place at 5:10 p.m., April 20, in the ETRL 101.

Impulse Industries Educational Tool: Working with David Rector, professor of Veterinary Medicine, a group of students from bioengineering and management information systems developed an instrument that supports neuroscience experiments in middle and high school classrooms. Similar to a Lego-style kit, the kit allows students to plug together circuitry to better understand muscle signals and other neuroscience concepts. The group has tested the kit with fourth, eighth and 10th grade students in the Pullman schools. The presentation will take place at 8:10 a.m., April 21 in the ETRL 101.

Building a Better Treadle Pump – One Step at a Time: The first thing that Jeff Evans, a senior in business, had to do when he started his senior project was to check a map and find out where Malawi is. Since then, he and engineering students Travis Meyer, Kyle Kraemer and Dan Good, have traveled to this African country, the third poorest in the world, and they’ve developed a treadle pump that they hope will make a positive difference for people there. The presentation will take place at 1:10 p.m., April 21 in the ETRL 101.

School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering Student Day: On April 21, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The event will include prizes for Best Posters in Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research, displays from student clubs in mechanical and materials engineering and a barbeque.

Tours of Research Labs in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., April 20. Locations to be determined.

For more information and for a complete schedule, go to www.cea.wsu.edu/openhouse2006.

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