Students present innovative research and prototypes at VCU School of Engineering design expo

Annual signature event showcases yearlong projects from schools of Engineering and Business

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A drone surveillance system, an automatic pill dispenser and a Martian weather station are some of the projects Virginia Commonwealth University students will present at the VCU School of Engineering’s annual Capstone Design Expo.

The event, which showcases engineering students’ innovative research and design prototypes, will be held Friday, April 28, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Siegel Center, 1200 W. Broad St. The expo is free and open to the public.

The Capstone Design course teaches leadership, teamwork and design skills in a collaborative environment and provides students the opportunity to develop and complete projects that may lead to product innovation for the benefit of society. Students can compete for additional financial support for their projects through a fund made possible by a generous gift from Mark A. Sternheimer. This year’s students are building business skills alongside students in the VCU School of Business’ entrepreneurship capstone course, New Venture Strategy and Initiation, to learn the process of launching a new company.

“Innovation and commercialization is never one person working on it alone and this partnership creates a mechanism for students to combine both to take their products to market,” said Bennett C. Ward, Ph.D., director of project outreach and Capstone Design coordinator for the VCU School of Engineering.

The cross-disciplinary learning experience can result in innovative products — and viable platforms for getting them to consumers, Ward said.

Sponsors of this year’s expo include corporations, nonprofits and health sciences organizations, and can be found at http://www.egr.vcu.edu/news-events/events/capstone-design/sponsors/.

Learn more at go.vcu.edu/capstone