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��Ͽ� Polytechnic students support Sierra Space’s lunar testing system

giffeyt — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:30:00 +0000

��Ͽ� Polytechnic students support Sierra Space’s lunar testing system giffeyt July 15, 2026

Alum works with engineering students to improve lunar dust testing, bolstering NASA’s return to the moon

Through a collaboration with Sierra Space, a leading defense-tech space company, ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students are validating critical systems that may be part of missions that return humanity to the moon.

Under the mentorship of alumnus Todd Treichel, Ph.D., a principal manufacturing engineer at Sierra Space, students from ��Ͽ� Polytechnic’s Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering have been developing methods to ensure that high-tech parts can survive in the harsh lunar environment.

The work comes at a time of revived public interest in space travel, thanks in large part to NASA’s successful Artemis II lunar flyby in April. Sierra Space has been actively developing In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technologies, including developing a system to extract oxygen from lunar soil, as well as efforts to design inflatable space habitats and support activities for an upcoming Moon base.

For several years, ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students have been redesigning and improving a lunar dust testing chamber. The chamber is used to study how gray, gritty moon dust – technically known as “lunar regolith” – could impact components like gears and lighting elements.

��Ͽ� Polytechnic Sierra Space project research team, from left to right: Luke Stanelle, Heidi Benningfield, Sammie Kotek, Dominick Konkel and Todd Treichel.

“It is very encouraging to know that something our team worked on could impact future designs for lunar testing,” said Sammie Kotek, of New Prague, Minnesota, who graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. “Todd has given us an opportunity to highlight what we learn here at Stout and apply it to something that will reach very important projects. The redesign and testing of the dust chamber could help better design equipment that is being sent to the moon, and I think that’s pretty cool!”

From lab to lunar environment

On a Friday during the spring semester, Kotek was among several students who joined Treichel in a lab in Fryklund Hall to use the dust chamber to test two headlights intended for a moon rover. Colorado-based Sierra Space developed the lights, which are meant to be used on an unmanned rover.

While images from the Apollo missions may make moon dust appear light and fluffy, it’s anything but. Heidi Benningfield, who graduated in May with a mechanical engineering degree, described the substance as “jagged like a kidney stone.” Unlike dust on Earth, which is smoothed and rounded by wind and rain, lunar dust is like a fine, abrasive ash. It’s also electrically charged, Treichel explained, which means it sticks to things – something Apollo astronauts discovered in the 1960s.

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Over the past two years, a team of ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students have redesigned the lunar testing chamber to make it more functional: For instance, they added variable speeds to the fan that keeps the dust airborne, as well as added a method to keep the dust from settling. Benningfield and Kotek engineered structural components while controls and electrical components were the focus of senior Luke Stanelle, a computer and electrical engineering major from St. Paul; senior Noah Flood Elyafi, a computer and electrical engineering major from Orfordville; and 2025 mechanical engineering graduate Dominick Konkel, who now works at Hewlett Packard Enterprise in Chippewa Falls.

The process had two goals: Measuring how effectively the chamber could coat the headlight lenses with simulated moon dust and assessing how that dust impacts the light output of the lenses. The lenses were coated with a prototype material to prevent dust from accumulating. When compared with an uncoated control piece also placed in the testing chamber, the coating seems to have done its job, Treichel said.

Just as importantly, the chamber that the students designed did its job, too, which will usher in the next phase of the project.

“The ultimate goal would be to take what the students have done and up-scale the chamber size to accommodate larger-sized test articles,” Treichel said. He plans on having several ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students visit Sierra Space’s Madison location this summer to conduct further tests.

Sierra Space Principal Manufacturing Engineer Todd Treichel with the lunar dust testing chamber in a Fryklund Hall lab.

Mentor comes full circle

Treichel, who received his manufacturing engineering degree from ��Ͽ� Polytechnic in 1990, has worked for Sierra Space and its affiliate, Sierra Nevada Corporation, for 18 years. His experience spans manufacturing and design engineering as well as quality, reliability, and environmental testing. He has worked on everything from rocket engines and thrusters to Mars landers, specifically the Phoenix Lander, and payloads sent to the International Space Station.

A few years ago, Treichel was invited to become a member of his alma mater’s Mechanical Engineering Advisory Board. At the encouragement of faculty, he visited ��Ͽ� Polytechnic in the hopes of arranging a project between the university and Sierra Space. He connected with Benningfield, who he described as having an exemplary passion for aerospace, and she interned at Sierra Space and presented at the Wisconsin Space Conference in 2024. Benningfield later completed a three-month paid internship as a SMART Scholar Engineer with the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command.

Last summer, Konkel made a keynote presentation about the lunar dust testing chamber at the conference, which is held annually by the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, of which ��Ͽ� Polytechnic is an affiliate member.

Left: Dominick Konkel presents at the Wisconsin Space Conference. Right: Cannisters of lunar and Martian simulants. / Todd Treichel

“Being surrounded by so many brilliant minds and mind-blowing projects and knowing that the work I did earned the keynote spot at the conference was such an amazing achievement,” Konkel said.

“What I learned during this project will contribute to my future career through introducing me to topics that I have grown increasingly eager to explore,” continued Konkel, who plans to pursue a master’s degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan. “These new topics will continue to drive me as I go to grad school and continue to drive deeper into the world of aerospace.”

The lunar dust chamber project grew out of a prototype that was developed about a decade ago, Treichel said. The original chamber prototype had several limitations and was put on pause. However, the launch of the Artemis program and NASA’s desire to return to the moon meant lunar dust testing was once again a relevant topic, and one that Treichel brought to ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students.

“The Stout team really took on an open-ended challenge where they were tasked with providing recommendations for design architecture, presenting them to Sierra Space, gaining approval, and then cut loose to design, build, and test,” Treichel said. The challenge was complex, he noted, involving the synthesis of mechanical and electrical engineering – precisely the interdisciplinary strength of ��Ͽ� Polytechnic’s polytechnic model.

“I found this transition to be most impressive because it represents the real world of aerospace design engineering,” he said. “The amount of electrical engineering was greater than originally planned, but the students figured it out and executed without hesitation.”

The lunar dust testing chamber developed by ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students is shown with containers of simulated lunar and Martian dust.

Kotek, who began working at Scott Equipment Company after graduation, said working on the project not only broadened her horizons but gave her valuable experience working across teams, as the testing chamber was frequently passed between the students as deadlines arrived and new features were added.

She lauded the mentorship Treichel has been able to provide because of his long experience in the aerospace field.

“His knowledge about general engineering and aerospace was highly valuable to my learning experience,” Kotek said. “He taught with a purpose and always wanted us to walk away from a conversation gaining something. He also valued our engineering process and never tried to take our project away from us. When doing projects like this, it’s nice to know that your mentor trusts you to get the job done and does not overstep.”

Treichel said working with students has given him a full-circle experience. “Having graduated from ��Ͽ�, it’s rewarding to work with the next generation of engineers, almost like handing off the baton in a relay race,” he said. “As a polytechnic university, hands-on work coupled with experimentation on prototype hardware really makes this a solid focus on a career-oriented skill that can one day serve the aerospace industry as well as others like it.”

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Student’s research aims at space debris

The Sierra Space project isn’t the only space-related research going on at ��Ͽ� Polytechnic. In April, junior Reese Hufnagel presented her work on addressing the growing problem of space debris during the Research in the Rotunda event at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison.

Hufnagel, a chemistry major from Anoka, Minnesota, is working with Professor Matthew Ray to mitigate the risk of reentry debris from spacecraft and satellites. Ideally, materials like used rocket stages and old satellites burn up when they fall to earth. However, as stronger carbon-fiber materials have become more common and the number of rocket launches has increased dramatically in recent years, reentry debris has become much more common. To address this growing danger, Hufnagel and Ray have worked to create a catalytic additive that, when integrated into carbon-fiber materials, can cause them to disintegrate when they reach a specific trigger temperature at reentry.

To bolster their work, Hufnagel and Ray have conducted more than 50 interviews with people in the space industry, including experts at NASA, SpaceX and Sierra Space. The pair have also formed a startup to commercialize their work, and Hufnagel has received a research scholarship from the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium. The pair also recently published an article about their research at The Conversation, an academic outline that rarely publishes work by authors who aren’t faculty members.

Hufnagel will be a panelist in August at the Wisconsin Space Conference this August in Kenosha. In the meantime, however, she will spend the summer as an intern at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

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Hero Caption: ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students and recent graduates who worked on a research project for Sierra Space look at their lunar dust testing chamber.

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Inspiring Graduate: Easton Sailer, B.S. Computer & Electrical Engineering

goersab — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 16:25:00 +0000

Inspiring Graduate: Easton Sailer, B.S. Computer & Electrical Engineeringgoersab December 23, 2025

Hired before graduation as Hewlett Packard Enterprise electrical hardware engineer

Inspiring Graduate: Easton Sailer (’25)

Hometown: Pound
Degree: B.S. Computer & Electrical Engineering
Minors: Mathematics, Computer Science

Easton Sailer chose ��Ͽ� because it was close to home, for its excellent value and because his dad earned his master’s degree here. He was also drawn to the university’s strong computer and electrical engineering program.

“��Ͽ� emphasizes hands-on learning and practical experience – something I value more than the traditional, theory-focused approach found at other schools,” Sailer said.

Easton Sailer earned his computer and electrical engineering degree from ��Ͽ� on Dec. 20, 2025.

“I aim to make a meaningful impact in my field by leveraging my expertise in both software and hardware to enhance system-level efficiency, enabling the development of larger, more capable systems that operate with lower power consumption,” he said.

He completed internships with nVent and Hewlett Packard Enterprises – two companies in the data center and high-performance computing sectors. “These experiences allowed me to apply my classroom learning to real-world engineering challenges, while contributing to meaningful projects in my field,” he said.

Sailer earned his CEE degree and minors in mathematics and computer science and crossed the commencement stage on Dec. 20 as one of 527 ��Ͽ� graduates. He was hired before graduation as an electrical hardware engineer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise in Chippewa Falls.

Easton Sailer was hired before graduation by Hewlett Packard Enterprise in Chippewa Falls.

He plans to work in the industry for three to five years before returning to school to pursue a master’s degree in computer and electrical engineering.

“Gaining real-world experience first will allow me to solidify my interests and make a more informed decision about my area of specialization. Currently, I’m especially interested in data centers and high-performance computing and the opportunities they offer for innovation,” he said.

How has ��Ͽ� prepared you to work in your field?

��Ͽ� has prepared me to work in my field by combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on lab experience, giving me a strong foundation in both understanding concepts and applying them in practical settings.

My favorite experience was in the Controls and Instrumentation Lab, a class where I learned to program PLCs and HMIs – skills that are widely used in the automation industry and directly relevant to real-world engineering applications.

I completed two internships that further strengthened my practical experience. At nVent, in Anoka, Minnesota, I was a controls/electrical engineering intern, working on high-density liquid cooling units for data center servers and performing pre-production testing to ensure units functioned correctly before mass production.

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At Hewlett Packard Enterprise, I tested power components for future systems, developed evaluation plans for a new coolant distribution method for supercomputers and created programs to visualize signal integrity data.

What stands out about your ��Ͽ� experience?

What stands out most about my ��Ͽ� experience is the strong emphasis on hands-on lab work that complements theoretical learning, allowing me to apply concepts in practical settings.

I also greatly appreciate the professors, who genuinely care about the success of their students and are always willing to provide guidance. Additionally, the program’s focus on internships ensures students gain real-world experience, which has been invaluable in preparing me for my career.

How did your campus involvement impact your experience?

I was involved in the IEEE (the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) student chapter for all four years of my studies. As a freshman, I participated as a general member, attending workshops to learn more about electrical engineering and explore different areas within the field. During my sophomore year, I was elected as the digital media coordinator, where I created advertisements for on-campus signage and managed the club’s social media accounts to promote events and workshops.

In my junior year, I was elected president of the chapter, which allowed me to lead workshops, run board meetings, and collaborate with other officers to organize industry partner presentations and career development activities.

Easton Sailer completed internships with nVent and HPE.

My involvement in IEEE significantly enhanced my college experience by helping me build leadership, communication, and technical skills, while connecting with peers and professionals in the industry.

What challenges did you face in earning your degree and how did you overcome them?

Throughout my bachelor’s degree, I faced several challenges that ultimately helped shape me into a stronger engineer and student. Finding my first internship was especially difficult because, while I had hands-on experience as a maintenance technician at an injection molding factory, I lacked substantial engineering experience outside of the classroom. After months of persistence and continuous improvement of my résumé and interview skills, I finally secured my first engineering-related internship at nVent.

Another major challenge was our yearlong capstone project with VibeTech, a company developing vibration-based rehabilitation machines for nursing homes. Their openness to any possible solution meant our team had to carefully narrow down the project’s scope to something realistic for two semesters, which taught us the importance of defining requirements early. We also had to develop strong team coordination and time-management skills to keep the project moving.

As the system architect, I was responsible for outlining how all components would integrate, identifying bottlenecks before they occurred, and ensuring the system’s overall feasibility. These skills challenged me but ultimately made me a better engineer.

Easton Sailer completing an Iron Man Marathon. / Easton Sailer

What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?

Looking back, I am extremely proud of myself for finishing this program. If you had asked me in high school what I would be doing four years later, I would have guessed welding or electrical work. Instead, I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given and for the people who encouraged me to pursue engineering, allowing me to grow far beyond what I once thought possible.

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AI flower power: Pondview Lavender Farm joins in professors' research on agricultural robot

goersab — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0000

AI flower power: Pondview Lavender Farm joins in professors' research on agricultural robot goersab July 22, 2025

Use of Amiga robot seeks to ease automation for specialty crop farmers in Wisconsin

Abbey Goers

Tucked right off Highway 29 near Chippewa Falls is a small family farm bursting with scent and color in June and July. Pondview Lavender Farm, owned by ��Ͽ� operations and management Lecturer Bob Sworski, welcomes folks to pick lavender during the harvest season.

Recently, an agricultural robot helped to advance Pondview’s lavender harvesting process as well, as part of cross-disciplinary research led by ��Ͽ� engineering Professor Yuan Xing and applied social science Program Director Tina Lee. Their project, A HumanCentered Collaborative Approach to Designing an Energy-Efficient Wireless Sensor Network, aims to advance Wisconsin’s agricultural system.

The project includes several elements to help farmers make informed decisions about their crops or livestock, including creating an ease of automation for specialty crop farmers, like Sworski.

The Amiga robot, by Farm-ng, at Pondview Lavender Farm in Chippewa Falls

The Amiga robot, by Farm-ng, is a battery-operated micro-tractor designed for 24/7 automation in specialty crop farming. The all-terrain, all-weather robot can be used as a scouting robot in the field, programmed for pest and disease control; for weeding or harvesting of specialty crops, such as lavender or berries; and to capture real-time images at ground level, with a mounted vision sensor camera.

The Amiga can be trained to learn the parameters of a field. It can hold up to 1,000 pounds, saving a significant amount of labor for workers, Xing said. The agricultural robot can travel 5 1/2 mph, fully loaded for four to five hours, or eight hours on light duty. Its ground clearance is about two feet, and its height and width can be adjusted as needed. It is also equipped with a mini-PC for data collection.

Bob Sworski, Cheng Liu, Jake See, Aaron Post and Yuan Xing gather at Pondview Lavender Farm

The cross-disciplinary project received a two-year, $175,000 Universities of Wisconsin Innovation Grant. Additional research is being conducted by Lee, who is leading support for a livestock farm at River Falls, where the team plans to install cow manager sensors and create an AI livestock monitoring system. Also involved in the research are engineering professors Cheng Liu, sensor hardware implementation, and Abhishek Verma, UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) system design, and UW-River Falls Professor Bob Zhiwei Zeng, agricultural machinery design.

AI supporting specialty crop farmers

Xing is working with Liu and students Aaron Post and Jake See to develop a fully automatic system with an individual Amiga artificial intelligence brain, designed on the NVIDIA Jetson Xavier processor. Post is a computer and electrical engineering major from Sussex, and See is an applied mathematics and computer science major from Singapore.

“The AI brain configuration is ongoing, and when configured, we are considering installing the brain on the Amiga and activating the fully automatic self-driving and vision inspection function at Pondview, which can further save labor,” Xing said.

Students Aaron Post and Jake See are helping faculty develop an AI brain for the Amiga robot

See, who has a concentration in artificial intelligence, is Xing’s research assistant and is helping to acquire new AI/machine learning knowledge and tools to develop models for industrial applications and contributing to scientific papers, such as IEEE Xplore. He hopes the new technology can allow specialty crop farms the ability to produce higher-quality crops and become more efficient and cost-effective.

“Automation and data analysis can be used to improve the health of crops and to lower labor, time and money costs,” he said. “Sensors that collect data about soil properties and weather conditions can help farmers make more optimal decisions. Image analysis can help identify disease within crops or monitor livestock. Robotic automation can make the planting or harvesting process easier, allowing farmers to reallocate time and labor to other efforts, such as expanding their farms or other elements of their business.”

See is naturally inquisitive and finds the world to be fascinating and beautiful. “I think math and computer science provide a lens through which I can explore, appreciate and enjoy this beauty in our world. They also provide a fun platform where I can create useful things to engage with people and our surroundings, ideally to benefit society,” he said.

Applied mathematics and computer science student Jake See is Professor Yuan Xing's research assistant

Although this was See’s first time working with the Amiga robot, he has been interested in programming since he was 7 years old, when he joined a robotics club in school. He has competed in national and international robotics competitions.

“AI is an incredibly powerful tool that has seen an explosion in use and development in recent times. It also intersects with many other personal interests of mine –understanding how the brain works, human behavior and learning, visuals, optimization and more,” he said.

His plan is to one day work as an AI researcher or software engineer focusing on computer vision or machine learning theory to contribute to the study and advancement of technology.

The faculty and students follow the Amiga robot out to the lavender field

��Ͽ�’s Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering has four undergraduate programs and one master’s program in engineering, as well as an engineering technology degree. The applied social science program is housed in the College of Arts and Human Sciences.

From engineering to communication and counseling, manufacturing, marketing and design, construction, supply chain and more, ��Ͽ� is preparing graduates to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving workforce by embedding AI training in all of its degree programs. ��Ͽ�’s AI Fellows, centers, and services collaborate with community, business and industry partners to help Wisconsin leverage AI-driven solutions that put it ahead of the curve.

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Yuan Xing

Full Name: Yuan Xing

Job Title: Assistant Professor

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Area of Expertise: Energy-Efficient AI Algorithms AI System Integration

College: College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management

Department: Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering Engineering & Technology Department

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B.S. Computer & Electrical Engineering

Curriculum Vitae: Yuan_Xing_CV.pdf (266.38 KB)

Education:

Degree: Ph.D. Electrical & Computer Engineering

University: Baylor University

Degree: M.S. Electrical & Computer Engineering

University: University of Rochester

Degree: B.S. Telecommunication Engineering

University: Beijing Jiaotong University

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Tina Lee

Dr. Lee is an applied anthropologist who specializes in the anthropology of the contemporary United States, specifically public policy and inequality. She is a graduate of the Anthropology PhD program at the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center and has conducted research about the child welfare system, environmental governance, and humanitarian engineering. She is the author of Catching a Case: Inequality and Fear in New York City's Child Welfare System, published by Rutgers University Press in 2016, as well as serval articles based on her fieldwork in New York City. A book chapter on her follow-up work on child welfare in rural Wisconsin will be published soon. She is also the co-director of the LAKES REU, an NSF-funded research experience for undergraduates site which trains students through research on phosphorous pollution in the Red Cedar Watershed and how it might be mitigated. She teaches anthropology, research methods, and women and gender studies courses and is the program director for the Applied Social Science major as well as the Stout Core Director (Stout's polytechnic version of general education).

Teaching Interests: Cultural Anthropology, Anthropology of Gender, Anthropology of the Contemporary U.S., Qualitative Research Methods, Applied Anthropology

Research Interests: Gender, Race, Poverty and Class; Family and the Law; Women’s Activism; Public Policy; Urban United States

Full Name: Dr. Tina Lee

Job Title: Professor / Program Director / Certificate Advisor

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College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: Social Science Department

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Curriculum Vitae: Tina Lee CV (57.7 KB)

Education:

Degree: Ph.D. Anthropology

University: The Graduate Center, City University of New York

Degree: Women's Studies Certificate Women's Studies

University: Graduate Center, City University of New York

Degree: M.A. Anthropology

University: Arizona State University

Degree: B.A. Anthropology

University: University of Houston

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Ashley sponsors toolless bed connections engineering project

goersab — Tue, 27 May 2025 13:25:00 +0000

Ashley sponsors toolless bed connections engineering projectgoersab May 27, 2025

Product Development students build prototypes, propose solutions for global company

Abbey Goers

Students in a New Product Development course at ��Ͽ� recently completed a 3 1/2 week project developing toolless bed connections for Ashley Furniture Industries, LLC (Ashley), a global leader in furniture manufacturing.

The project kicked off on April 15, when Ashley Research and Development (R&D) team members presented the project virtually to the 18 students in Assistant Professor Kevin Dietsche’s class.

Over the next few weeks, the students worked in eight cross-disciplinary groups to research market trends, ideate preliminary designs, test materials and build professional prototypes. They received mentorship along the way from Ashley product designers.

The class then traveled to Ashley in Arcadia on May 6, for a tour of the facility and to present their prototypes to the R&D team.

��Ͽ� engineering students outside of Ashley's Automation and Robotics Lab

“This was an incredible experience – one that stood out for its real-world relevance and industry collaboration,” mechanical engineering major Alex Springer said. “Working directly with professionals from Ashley – one of the biggest companies in the furniture industry – gave us insight into the complete product development cycle, from initial design through manufacturing and packaging to mechanical and interior design to align functional and aesthetic goals.”

Ashley Furniture Industries is the world's largest furniture manufacturer with more than 35,000 employees worldwide, providing product to 20,000 storefronts in 155 countries, and operating over 1,100 Ashley retail stores in 70 countries.

Dietsche was awarded a sponsorship by Ashley to fund the project.

Preliminary research and feedback

Ultimately, each group wanted to create a unique product that was budget-friendly, sturdy and easy to assemble right out of the box – a main goal of the toolless bed connection concept.

Luke Janssen, Sam Petkovsek, Professor Kevin Dietsche, Alex Springer and Jered Clark in the Woods Lab

They began by conducting market research to view current Ashley products and prices, as well as those of competitors and DIY models online. They factored in pricing of materials, such as medium density fiberboard (MDF) and particleboard, to save on costs, looked at estimated labor, manufacturing, storage, shipping and more compared to selling cost.

Several groups conducted surveys to find where consumers prefer to buy their furniture, how much they are willing to spend on a bed frame and how much time they expect to spend on assembly.

When looking at styles of joinery in woodworking, groups based their initial digital designs on mortise and tenon joinery with locking pins, castle joints and Japanese wedge joints.

Some groups simulated tests on the strength of MDF board and particleboard, testing different thicknesses for weight allowances. Other groups “over-built” their designs according to the FEA – finite element analysis – factor of safety, to measure how well a design could withstand a load.

Alex Springer and Sam Petkovsek measure and cut bed posts in the Woods Lab

One group – Springer and fellow mechanical engineering major Jered Clark, and packaging majors Luke Janssen and Sam Petkovsek – drafted a Computer Numerical Control, or CNC, model for automated machining of sideboards, slots, pins and legs, based on mortise and tenon joinery. They estimated a run time of 12 minutes to complete a bedframe.

Another group – mechanical engineering major Owen Coon and engineering technology major Kadence Tinsley – designed 3D-printed interlocking brackets using SolidWorks software. They also wrote an AI prompt to generate images of bed frames for college-age consumers. They estimated their design would have a 50% profit margin.

Technology education major Annika Schlueter and engineering technology major Hunter Ouimette built a scaled model of an interlocking Japanese wood joint bedframe using CNC for manufacturing the larger parts because it is more efficient and cost-effective. They also implemented two different types of locks – a wedge and a 3D-printed ring – for different aesthetic looks.

Ashley product designers Angel Kraemer, Caleb Toft and Anna Lindner, all ��Ͽ� industrial and product design alums, provided feedback, including encouraging the groups to think about usability and flexibility for multiple looks depending on a consumer’s individual style.

Sam Petkovsek and Luke Janssen cut bed slats in the Woods Lab

They asked the groups to understand the materials used and how different environments can impact MDF board versus particleboard, such as temperature and climate tolerance, as well as to consider how the different materials, such as MDF versus wood, handle tooling and manufacturing. A joint design in one material may be more difficult to produce in another.

Designing under a deadline

Dietsche uses the Design Build Process – a model for teaching projects with quick turnaround times. “When you give students such a fast deadline for large-scale projects, when you cram them with ideas, it forces creativity. There’s this crash and burn and rebuild mentality. They’ll make mistakes and learn to quickly find solutions. It can be stressful, but it builds grit.”

Schlueter thinks one of the biggest benefits of this teaching/learning approach is the need to be creative and take advantage of the time given, with only four to five class periods to research, test, fully develop a model and be ready to present. “No team’s design has stayed the exact same since we started the toolless bed connection project. Things go wrong, and things go right, and we had to develop accordingly,” she said.

Jered Clark printed models of 3D printed fasteners

Springer, Petkovsek, Janssen and Clark’s group had to pivot away from their original design of mortise and tenon joinery when Ashley’s designers recommended that they use fasteners to secure the frame to the legs instead of wood joints. This tested the group’s adaptability, Springer said.

“Ashley sent us some ideas for fasteners, and they served as a model for ours. After researching, we bought one model of metal fasteners and designed two custom models of fasteners – a slot and lock; and a hook and clamp,” added Clark, who printed the group’s models on his 3D printer at home.

The group designed multiple iterations of their fasteners. The first prototype failed to hold securely under tension. The second performed better but still slipped under stress. “Our final design addressed those weaknesses, significantly improving grip and structural stability. I think if we were able to continue the project, we would look into stronger plastics and possibly metal to enhance the durability of our clips,” Springer said.

Jered Clark, Alex Springer and Sam Petkovsek test their 3D-printed fasteners

In the Jarvis Hall Technology Wing Woods Lab, the group built and tested a full-scale queen-sized prototype using MDF and chipboard for the frame and 4X4s for the posts. Working with MDF introduced material-specific hurdles, such as expansion and contraction, which affected their product’s fit tolerances.

They also developed a corrugated branded packaging solution using ��Ͽ�’s Packaging Lab in the Applied Arts Building and designed an assembly booklet for customers. “It was an all-around lightbulb moment to see the mechanical engineering and packaging phases of our project come together,” Springer said.

Making an impact on manufacturing

Dietsche and the Product Development class traveled together by bus to Ashley on May 6. They were given a tour of the facilities, including a visit to the Advanced Technology Maker Center, the Automation and Robotics Laboratory, and the design and R&D departments.

��Ͽ� engineering students tour Ashley's facilities and labs in Arcadia

The eight groups then gave PowerPoint presentations of their designs and discussed their physical prototypes with the R&D team.

Springer, Petkovsek, Janssen and Clark are proud of their final outcome. Along with their functional full-size bed frame, they also delivered a professional mini model to showcase during their presentation.

“Given the timeline and complexity, we’re delighted with what we accomplished. We were excited to get feedback on our project, especially the positive feedback from Ashley,” said Springer, noting that presenting to Ashley was a highlight of the semester.

“The project was an opportunity to make connections with different majors in the class, advance our CNC and manufacturing process skills and professionalism, and have fun while doing something that could be very impactful for a large company,” Schlueter added.

Kadence Tinsley and Owen Coon present their toolless bed connections

��Ͽ�’s engineering and technology department offers six undergraduate degrees, including computer and electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, plastics engineering, engineering technology and packaging, as well as four minors and a master’s in manufacturing engineering.

Technology education is offered through the School of Education, which is home to nine undergraduate degrees, five graduate degrees, certificates, certifications and online professional development courses.

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Video production program work highlights viability of Wisconsin as film hub

Students, alums assist in Deming’s unique medical drama ‘Winter Hymns,’ filmed in Menomonie

Ashley, Cadrex, Apogee among companies benefiting from engineering students’ prototypes

Capstone projects demonstrate mechanical, manufacturing know-how, leadership skills

Oshkosh Corporation will host Design Wisconsin, ��Ͽ�’s annual event exploring innovative design

Professionals, students will gather May 29-30 for a showcase of the cultural and commercial impact of design

Product Development students build prototypes, propose solutions for global company Ashley, ETECH toolless bed connection project

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Real-world research: Engineering team designs South African trolley system; science students investigate heavy metals

goersab — Thu, 15 May 2025 12:30:00 +0000

Real-world research: Engineering team designs South African trolley system; science students investigate heavy metalsgoersab May 15, 2025

Cross-disciplinary teams present prototypes at Research Day, Engineers Without Borders' design challenge addressed by nearly 90 students

Abbey Goers

More than 300 undergraduate and graduate students and faculty presented their research across realms during ��Ͽ�’s annual Research Day on May 6, with individuals and cross-disciplinary teams representing more than 30 degree fields.

Research ranged from heavy metals present in everyday products to regional topics, like housing and water quality in the Chippewa Valley, to health and wellbeing interests of the nation’s citizens, to developing global solutions through an Engineers Without Borders’ international design challenge.

Nearly 90 students in 23 teams addressed the EWB challenge. One group focused on engineering a safer, more accessible transportation system in South Africa’s suburbs. Revitalizing Makers Valley: Future-Ready Roads for Safety, Efficiency, and Growth was presented by:

Gabriel Morken, manufacturing engineering, Eau Claire
Ann Moss, computer and electrical engineering, Johnsburg, Illinois
Christian Bretey, mechanical engineering, Eau Claire
Christian Klein, mechanical engineering, St. Paul

Gabriel Morken, Ann Moss, Christian Bretey and Christian Klein at Research Day

Two biochemistry and molecular biology and chemistry students focused on heavy metals. Some products, such as chocolate, have trace amounts occurring in them naturally through the farming process, and some products are manufactured to contain heavy metals. The researchers were:

Natalie Chartrand, of St. Croix Falls: An Analysis of Heavy Metals in Chocolate
Riley Strobush, of St. Paul: Trace Metals in Various Nicotine Salts Brands

Research Day invites industry professionals and the campus and surrounding communities to engage with students and faculty and discuss their research and creative works through posters, prototypes, exhibits and collaborative faculty-student oral panel presentations.

Engineering a safer transportation system in South Africa

The Impacts of Engineering course introduces students to the engineering design process from initiation to completion and broadens their awareness of the social, environmental and economic implications of engineering.

Engineers Without Borders’ international Engineering for People Design Challenge brings together more than 12,000 engineering students from more than 40 universities in the U.S., United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa.

This year’s challenge was organized by Engineers Without Borders UK and South Africa, in collaboration with the nonprofit Makers Valley Partnership.

Lecturer Mark Dolan talks with engineering students as they build prototypes for the EWB challenge

Students developed sustainable engineering solutions centered around the needs of the 46,000 residents of Makers Valley, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. The area experienced urban decay and high unemployment, but in recent years has seen a wave of regeneration driven by social and creative enterprises.

Solutions students addressed included the general built environment, food security, reliable access to energy, waste reduction and recycling, safe drinking water, sanitation and transport infrastructure.

“The design challenge reinforces the goal of Stout’s applied learning concept. Student teams work together, use applied math in their engineering calculations, write a professional-quality paper suitable for the EWB competition and build a functioning prototype of their proposed solution,” said engineering Lecturer Mark Dolan.

Morken, Moss, Bretey and Klein researched the current road conditions of Makers Valley and the city’s most popular modes of transportation.

They found that Makers Valley does not regularly maintain its paved roads, which are pitted with numerous large potholes and litter; and biking and walking are most common, as many people can’t afford cars, Morken said.

“With the rough roads and concerns for the safety of bikers and pedestrians, even with sidewalks, Makers Valley is looking for safe and inexpensive updates to its transportation system,” Bretey said.

Gabriel Morken, Ann Moss, Christian Bretey and Christian Klein's trolley prototype

There is also a lack of trust in public transportation, Klein added. Feuds between taxi companies cause fear through intimidation tactics used on drivers and customers. And while school buses provide transportation for children to and from school, there are fees for the service, Moss explained.

“Many of the taxi drivers jack up their prices so they can afford to live. What shocked me about this was that I never stopped to consider just how many aspects of life poverty can affect,” Morken said. “We tried to figure out a way to get cars off the road, while simultaneously trying to figure out a way to have accessible transportation for anybody. We thought that a trolley system would solve both of those problems.”

The team landed on the idea of engineering a trolley system because it’s a permanent network and can be designed as hybrid, running mainly on electricity. “But since the electrical grid is not always reliable in Makers Valley, the trollies could also run on fuel as a backup,” Bretey said.

“If we used an electric bus, that vehicle would have to stop and take breaks to regain a charge and be out of service during that time,” Moss added. “A trolley receives power through its connection to the track and would only need fuel when the power grid is down. This means that a trolley can be in commission longer than a bus could.”

The initial infrastructure cost of a trolley system is higher than a bussing system because of the need to install tracks, Morken said. “However, we thought that a trolley would be better in the long term because usually they can carry more passengers, have lower operating costs (some don’t need a driver) and they can be powered by electricity,” he added.

The team’s design also incorporated safety features for pedestrians and bikers, with marked and lighted crosswalks and a separate lane for bicycles, with reflective posts between the car and bike lanes, Bretey added.

Moss hopes the team’s research can help ensure the safety of Makers Valley commuters. “Even if only a part of our design were implemented, it could make a positive difference in the city. I believe that our design can work for other places as well that struggle with pedestrian safety and unreliable transportation systems,” she said.

Student projects submitted to the EWB challenge may be picked up by a company, nongovernmental or other organization and become a real solution for people.

The Impact of Engineering course is part of Stout Core, foundational general education classes where students gain global perspective and ethical reasoning to understand social responsibility, so they graduate ready to do more on day one.

Heavy metals in consumer products

Heavy metals can build up in the human body over time and lead to severe health issues.

Lead is known to cause neurological damage and cognitive impairments, particularly in young adults. It can also lead to developmental issues, memory loss, insomnia and muscle weakness.

While iron, manganese, and zinc are essential micronutrients, excessive amounts can cause organ damage and oxidative stress; can affect the nervous system; and can cause nausea, vomiting and weaken the immune system, Strobush explained.

Cadmium and nickel in long-term exposure are known to cause kidney failure and increased risks for cancer, anemia and cardiovascular diseases, added Chartrand, who conducted an analysis of four of her favorite chocolate brands.

Chemistry student Natalie Chartrand tests heavy metals in chocolates

“Heavy metal exposure should be kept to a minimum, especially in foods, which is why the FDA and other health organizations regulate it. While the FDA has strict guidelines on heavy metals, it’s impossible to completely eradicate all heavy metal exposure in our daily lives,” she said.

Chartrand knew chocolate contains heavy metals, usually found in trace amounts in chocolates that are less processed, like dark and semi-sweet chocolates.

“Both lead and cadmium are common environmental pollutants found in modern farming practices; these metals can be absorbed into the cacao beans we use to make chocolate,” she said. “Nickel is used in the manufacturing process of chocolate, though it shouldn’t end up in the product itself.”

Because of this, she wasn’t surprised to find detectable lead levels in three of her chocolate samples.

“Lead is naturally found in cacao beans and is retained through the manufacturing process, at levels so low they’re not considered toxic, but are detectable on our instrument, nonetheless. I found no cadmium in any of my samples, and only very trace amounts of nickel,” she said. “Just because studies have found small amounts in chocolates doesn't mean that the highly processed chocolates we eat regularly will contain the same levels.”

Chemistry Professor Jonathan Frisch, Riley Strobush and Natalie Chartrand

During Strobush’s initial research, she found numerous studies on heavy metals in vape pods and cartridges, but relatively few on nicotine salts. She conducted her research on four brands of nicotine salts.

“Although there are traces of metals in the liquid, the liquid is heated into a vapor through a metal coil, introducing more metals into the aerosol that is consumed by the user when using their e-cigarette,” she said. “Lead was the most frequently detected heavy metal in my samples, contrary to my initial expectation of a more balanced distribution of heavy metal elements.”

She was also intrigued by the marketing of the products. “Each of them has colorful, appealing designs and flavors that you would see on candy or soda. It hides the harsh potential health impacts caused by consuming the liquids,” she said.

Strobush hopes her research raises awareness about the dangers of these products and encourages more rigorous testing, especially in the aerosol form. “This could lead to improved regulations and safer product formulations, ultimately protecting public health,” she said.

Strobush noted that she is not a user of nicotine salts or similar substances. She and Chartrand took the necessary precautions during their studies to ensure their peers’ and their own safety.

Biochemistry and molecular biology student Riley Strobush presents at Research Day

Chemistry and physics Associate Professor Jonathan Frisch served as Strobush’s and Chartrand’s research mentor. In Frisch’s College Chemistry I course, students learn the chemistry and physics behind several types of chemical instrumentation and gain practical experience using those instruments to investigate samples of their choice.

“The students are allowed to ask any questions they want, at which time they design and carry out experiments to answer those questions. Every semester, I am surprised by some of the results. There are contaminants in and on all sorts of things I would have never expected or even thought about analyzing,” he said.

Outstanding researchers recognized at Research Day

After the poster and exhibit session, where Chartrand, Strobush and the engineering students shared their work, an award ceremony recognized outstanding researchers – both faculty and students.

Since 1987, ��Ͽ� has awarded faculty for their outstanding research, nominated by a review committee of their peers.

The Outstanding Researcher honors for leadership and significant contributions to research and scholarly activities are awarded by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, on behalf of the Provost's Office and the committee. This year’s recipients are:

Julie Watts: Senior Outstanding Researcher
Nicole Hayes: Emerging Outstanding Researcher
Pranabendu Mitra: Outstanding Research Mentor.

Outstanding student researcher awardees are:

Valacia Casper: CAHS, undergraduate
Elaina Blazei: CSTEMM, undergraduate
Bex Cermin: CAHS, graduate student
Cortney Dean: CSTEMM, graduate student
Nikolaus Nelson (CAHS) and Theodore Welch (CSTEMM): Honorable Mentions.

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Master’s in food science students develop ideas for dietary supplements for GLP-1 users with aid of AI tools

More than 300 students, faculty from more than 30 degree fields to share findings, creative works at Research Day on May 5

Software by ��Ͽ� professor, students helps international museum collections shine – literally – in 3D

Kintsugi 3D used by Minneapolis Institute of Art, other institutions to capture surface details of heritage objects

Real-world research: Engineering team designs South African trolley system; science students investigate heavy metals

Cross-disciplinary teams present prototypes at Research Day, Engineers Without Borders' design challenge addressed by nearly 90 students

Cross-disciplinary teams present prototypes at Research Day, Engineers Without Borders' design challenge addressed by nearly 90 students Chemistry Professor Jonathan Frisch, Riley Strobush and Natalie Chartrand

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Search Keywords: Research DayEngineers Without Borders Design for People Challengeheavy metals in chocolatesheavy metals in nicotine saltstransportation in Makers Valley

Hero Caption: Biochemistry and molecular biology student Riley Strobush tests heavy metals in nicotine salts. She presented her findings at Research Day on May 6.

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Automated solutions: Engineering teams present capstone prototypes to industry sponsors

goersab — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 15:22:53 +0000

Automated solutions: Engineering teams present capstone prototypes to industry sponsorsgoersab January 8, 2025

Students quadruple production of sustainable coffee cups for eco-friendly startup; deliver toys to local children

Abbey Goers

Disposable coffee cups, the kind used at most cafes and take-out shops, pose a major sustainability issue. More than 40 billion are tossed in the waste each year in the U.S. alone. Whether they’re made from polystyrene or paper lined with plastic, disposable coffee cups generally aren’t recyclable, and they take decades to centuries to break down in landfills while producing methane and leaching microplastics into the environment.

A startup company in San Francisco, GaeaStar, is working to solve the problem. It’s making eco-friendly disposable coffee cups out of clay, with a liquid-proof glaze. When the coffee is gone, the thin cups can be reused or tossed in the trash. Their composition makes them easily decomposable.

To ramp up its production, GaeaStar turned to students in ��Ͽ�’s Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering.

Cade Parker, Grace Thoreson, Noah Pearson-Cater, Wayne LaVine and Morgan Young

A team in the Senior Design Experience capstone class developed from scratch a new machine to significantly speed up the company’s cup glazing process – quadrupling its daily output.

The team’s GaeaStar-Cup Glazing Prototype completes a semiautomated fountain glaze application, creating a consistent coating with no residue on the external cup surface. After starting the project during the spring semester, they delivered a prototype on Dec. 18 in a presentation to GaeaStar officials, professors and fellow students.

The project was one of 24 presented as part of the fall semester capstone courses – with more than 120 students working in teams in various stages of development in the manufacturing, mechanical and computer and electrical engineering labs in Fryklund Hall.

Noah Pearson-Cater and Grace Thoreson measure supports for the GaeaStar-Cup Glazing Prototype.

A sustainable solution to single-use cups

Last spring, at the start of their capstone course, the team of five students spent months studying the glazing process, coming up with one prototype and then switching gears to another.

In mid-October, after ordering parts, the team began building their machine.

Morgan Young, of Eden Prairie, Minn., majoring in manufacturing engineering, enjoyed the real-world challenge. “GaeaStar had trust in us that we could do this, and we are overwhelmed with what we’re delivering to them,” she said.

With a larger capacity loading system, the team’s machine can glaze 10 cups per minute — GaeaStar’s current manual system can do only one.

Noah Pearson-Cater and Cade Parker cut and drill components for the prototype.

The cups are stacked upside down on a turntable as the solution in a reservoir below pumps the glaze and sprays the interior surface of the cups. Extra glaze drips back into the reservoir, and the turntable rotates for the next cup-glazing.

The enclosed machine also includes safety features to prevent operator injury.

“A big part of it was all the testing we did. The company official realized that we were trying to understand the process before we began to build,” said Noah Pearson-Cater, of Minneapolis, majoring in manufacturing engineering. “We’re really proud to give GaeaStar a prototype that they can retune to even better fit their needs.”

Team members also included Wayne LaVine, of Northfield, Minn., manufacturing engineering; Cade Parker, of Menasha, mechanical engineering; and Grace Thoreson, of Luck, double majoring in mechanical and manufacturing engineering.

Morgan Young and Grace Thoreson review engineering plans.

“It was a pleasure working with the team. I am very much looking forward to receiving the prototype. It will be invaluable for developing our production process,” said GaeaStar Mechanical Design Engineer Harrison Lin.

Eventually, GaeaStar would like to sell machines to coffee shops that could 3D print the clay cups and glaze them on site.

Bringing toys to local children

Other capstone project challenges completed in December, all involving automation of processes, were for Antigo Zeon Wire, Colder Product Company Manufacturing, Mantle, ProMed Molded Products, nVent, Rassbach Museum of Menomonie and St. Croix Tactical Manufacturing.

Sponsoring companies, many of them regional manufacturers, provide full financial support of all needed equipment and materials for the testing of ideas and build of final products or systems.

Deric McConnell, Grace Goodreid, Josh Goodreid, Ayden Veness, Vinny Bonofiglio, Shane Schauss and Kevin Dietsche

Another automation project – a three-year, cross-disciplinary, multi-course toy manufacturing project – is supported by the G.A. Taft Manufacturing Engineering Endowed Professorship through the School of Engineering, awarded in fall 2023 to Assistant Professor Kevin Dietsche.

The project began in Dietsche’s Design for Industry class in fall 2023, when his students invited first-graders from St. Paul’s School of Menomonie to brainstorm their dream toys. The collaboration’s end goal was for the students to build mid- to high-fidelity prototypes of the imagined toys using ash tree lumber provided by the City of Menomonie’s Urban Forestry Board. The final product of the toy design could be delivered to local children.

One of the prototypes – a two-wheeled duck pull-toy - was given to an engineering capstone team last spring to develop a manufacturing cell that would automatically assemble and produce the toys.

Earlier this fall, the team presented its Taft Prof Two-Wheel Toy Assembly System manufacturing cell prototype – constructed of wooden dowels and cardboard – to kindergartners visiting Dietsche’s class. Together, the children and the engineering team built a version of Timothy the Duck, showing them how it automatically assembles the pieces of the duck, including its body, wings, wheels and axle.

Grace Goodreid demonstrates to Kevin Dietsche how to assemble and disassemble the system.

The team of four mechanical engineering seniors Grace Goodreid, of Cushing, Josh Goodreid, of Beldenville, Deric McConnell, of Luck, and Ayden Veness, of Prescott; and two computer and electrical engineering seniors Vinny Bonofiglio, of Helenville, and Shane Schauss, of Eau Claire, estimates it spent 2,600 hours completing their automatic assembly system.

On Dec. 18, they presented their system to faculty, peers, industry partners, family and community members. The machine is fully enclosed with safety features and can produce 10 toys at a time, taking about two and a half minutes to assemble one duck, allowing the operator to pause assembly and talk about the process.

The three-part portable manufacturing cell can be assembled and disassembled in minutes for ease of transport, which will allow Dietsche in the future to transport the machine to area schools and demonstrate the process of making wooden toys to local children.

The engineering capstone classes are led by Assistant Professor Danny Bee; Assistant Professor Nathan Spike, B.S. mechanical engineering program director; Senior Lecturer Glenn Bushendorf; and Instrumentation Coordinator-Instructor Paul Craig, B.S. and M.S. manufacturing program director.

Deric McConnell demonstrates to presentation guests how the system operates.

Students use the stage gate-driven design and project build methodology, which includes built-in reviews throughout the process.

After their final presentations, students also submit their project documents to the companies for potential integration into manufacturing operations use or continued development.

Students build technical and communication skills in their capstones, as well as confidence as they prepare to begin their careers. The Senior Design Experience blends all three of the university’s polytechnic tenets — applied learning and research, business and industry collaboration, and career-focused experiences.

Projects finishing in spring 2025 include company sponsorships by Cirrus Aircraft, Industrial Heat Transfer, Nordson EDI and RealityWorks.

Additional corporations sponsoring student work in previous semesters included Viracon, Fastenal, DiaSorin, Industrial Heat Transfer, Loos Machine and Automation and Graco. Several companies sponsored more than one project.

Graduates from the mechanical and manufacturing engineering programs in 2022-23 reported 100% employment and an average starting salary of more than $70,000, according to the latest university First Destination Report.

��Ͽ�’s Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering is home to five ABET-accredited programs that also include computer and electrical engineering, engineering technology and plastics engineering, as well as a sixth bachelor’s’ program in packaging. A master’s in manufacturing engineering is available on campus or online.

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Students quadruple production of sustainable coffee cups for eco-friendly startup; deliver toys to local children Engineering Capstones, fall 2024

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Hero Caption: School of Engineering students teamed up to complete senior capstone projects, several collaborating with industry sponsors.

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Computer, electrical engineering students help nVent with product development, testing

goersab — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Computer, electrical engineering students help nVent with product development, testinggoersab September 4, 2024

Sailer, Pettit gain experience in high density liquid cooling systems for data centers worldwide

Abbey Goers

Two ��Ͽ� computer and electrical engineering seniors helped develop and test the next generation of technology this summer.

During their controls/electrical engineering internships with nVent, Easton Sailer and Evan Pettit helped teams develop new high density liquid cooling – HDLC – products, supported existing products and interfaced with internal and external teams around the world.

HDLC systems are water cooling units for data center servers. They provide a more efficient and sustainable alternative to traditional air-cooling methods and enable closer component packing and greater computer capacity within the same footprint.

Evan Pettit and Easton Sailer completed their controls/electrical engineering internships with nVent / Pettit and Sailer

A $3.3 billion company with more than 11,000 employees worldwide, nVent offers industry-leading solutions for industrial automation, commercial buildings, power utilities, renewable energy, infrastructure, energy storage applications, and data centers, including HDLC development and support.

Sailer and Pettit’s internships at the Anoka, Minn. facility aligned with Program Director Wei Shi’s main goals for her CEE students, which are “to equip them with skills in solving real-world problems, develop practical abilities in analysis and design, and train them for and help them gain experience in working with industries before they even graduate.”

Experiences in product development and troubleshooting

Sailer, of Pound, Wis., took the spring semester off from school to start a seven-month internship last January.

“Water cooling units for data center servers are a relatively new concept in the field. While I was offered opportunities with other companies, I found this to be the most interesting because it reminded me of water-cooled gaming PCs but on a larger scale,” he said.

He explained CEE as the intersection of electrical engineering and computer science, interacting with both software programs and physical hardware devices.

“Another fun way I like to describe CEE is ‘tricking rocks to think for us’ because at the end of the day, that’s all it is,” Sailer said. “We create hardware devices out of materials found on earth like silicon, gold and copper and run software using digital logic to do tasks that humans find boring or repetitive.”

Pettit, of Rosemount, Minn., joined the nVent team in May, shadowing Sailer, who served as his mentor. They collaborated on projects daily.

While communicating with other teams, their responsibilities included creating plans; developing automated test scripts using Bash, a Linux software scripting language; collecting and analyzing data; and troubleshooting machines in the lab.

Various electrical tools they used were multimeters, a differential DC power supply and digital oscilloscopes to measure voltage and current of HDLC systems during troubleshooting or research and development, as well as physical tools, such as wire cutters, crimpers and strippers.

They had calls with customers and suppliers to perform root cause analyses, plan necessary tests and address their HDLC issues, including tuning the PID – proportional, integral and derivative – parameters of a motor to keep it running at a constant speed while its load varies due to its environment, Sailer explained.

“With the experience gained at nVent, I have a new perspective on the concepts that I’m learning at Stout,” Sailer said. “I had a great time working with Evan. It was really fun working with someone who is from the same school as you, and I was surprised how many people at nVent went to Stout.”

Pettit was initially intimidated by the idea of his internship, but he felt encouraged during his interview with a senior engineer at nVent, and he was excited to gain experience in product development, something he had never expected to do in his first internship.

“I quickly acclimated to the environment because of the support I received from Easton and other team members,” he said.

Career Services Director Bryan Barts said nVent provides ��Ͽ� students with a continuous source of opportunities for connections locally, regionally and internationally.

“In the past 10 years, we have experienced 60 students working at nVent,” Barts said. “As a company that is truly focused on sustainability, they have been able to attract and engage with several ��Ͽ� programs, including engineering, management and industrial technology across their company and brands.”

Dialed in: Engineering projects hum as students present prototypes to industry sponsors

It was the moment of truth for a team of ��Ͽ� engineering majors, as peers, professors and industry representatives gathered around.

For example, nVent sponsored a project in 2023-24 in ��Ͽ�’s Senior Design Experience capstone course for engineering majors.

This summer, 510 ��Ͽ� students, including 28 CEE students, were enrolled in Career Services’ Cooperative Education and Internship Program in 24 states.

An interest in electronics and embedded systems

Sailer has always had an insatiable desire to understand how things work and thought he would be a mechanical engineer. But that idea changed when he was 14, when he bought a used four-wheeler to fix and resell.

“I soon realized that beyond mechanical work, it also needed a bunch of electrical work. Although I knew nothing about electrical systems at the time, I taught myself by watching YouTube videos. After almost a year, I was successful in fixing and selling the four-wheeler for a profit. This experience made me far more interested in electrical engineering, and it was pivotal in my decision to be a CEE major,” he said.

Pettit was about the same age when he discovered his interest in electronics. He built his first computer in middle school and studied computer science and hardware in high school.

“By junior year, I was certain that I wanted to pursue a career in the field of information technology but was uncertain whether to concentrate on computer science or computer engineering. My final decision to study computer engineering was encouraged by the economic and career incentives, as computer engineers are currently in higher demand,” said Pettit, who will graduate in May 2025.

Sailer was very hesitant to take a semester off school for his internship, “but I am super glad that I did. The experience gained was well worth my time, and this job helped me to better understand what I would like to do with my career after college,” he said.

Sailer will graduate in December 2025 and would like to work for the defense industry in embedded systems engineering, which often includes developing software to facilitate secure communication between aircraft, ground control stations and other military assets.

Career Services’ First Destination Report stated that 100% of recent CEE graduates are employed or continuing education and have an average starting salary of $71,000.

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Dialed in: Engineering projects hum as students present prototypes to industry sponsors

polingj — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 20:12:42 +0000

Dialed in: Engineering projects hum as students present prototypes to industry sponsorspolingj July 8, 2024

Company reps watch 12 teams demonstrate automated solutions to their manufacturing challenges

It was the moment of truth for a team of ��Ͽ� engineering majors. As peers, professors and industry representatives gathered around, they engaged the manufacturing prototype they had created.

In about 10 seconds, their cube-shaped device housing numerous moving parts and about 250 components perfectly achieved what they had been working on for nine months: pneumatically feeding a hinge to the precise spot where Phillips-head drivers moved in to install two screws into a hinge assembly.

To the engineers looking on, it was poetry in motion.

The nVent hinge team gathered around their design, from left Caleb Rathje, Mack Klafter, Gervase Thompson, Evan Zaves and Andrew Hoeft. / ��Ͽ�

The Fryklund Hall lab demonstration was one of 12, preceded by detailed classroom presentations, during the final two weeks of the spring semester Senior Design Experience capstone course. A total of 60 students majoring in manufacturing, mechanical and computer and electrical engineering developed solutions for real manufacturing problems while building their skills and confidence as they prepare to begin their careers.

The hinge assembly project was watched closely by its sponsor, nVent, a growing, $3 billion a year global company based in St. Louis Park, Minn., that makes electrical products. Hinges in some nVent products currently are installed by hand. The ��Ͽ� team proved it can be automated with robotics.

Mack Klafter works on the nVent robotic hinge assembly machine. / ��Ͽ�

“It’s cool to see it finally come to life and have the motion we were hoping for,” said Evan Zaves, from Hortonville, a senior in manufacturing engineering. He added that the team did a “really good job with machining” the parts to one-1,000th of an inch to help their prototype operate smoothly.

Other corporations sponsoring student work included Viracon, Fastenal, DiaSorin, Industrial Heat Transfer, Loos Machine and Automation, St. Croix Tactical Manufacturing and Graco. Several companies sponsored more than one project.

Project challenges, all involving automation of processes, included developing a pressure regulator, adaptive fluid monitor, system to manage machine chips, drill and ream jig, tilt table, material handling cart, mesh shear, part marker for threaded rods and a quality control device for threaded rods.

Students on the nVent hinge assembly team explain their design process during a classroom presentation. / ��Ͽ�

Two Viracon challenges

Viracon, of Owatonna, Minn., sponsored the handling cart and tilt table projects, hoping to automate two steps in its process of manufacturing and shipping industrial glass for large building projects.

The automatic handling cart rotated so that two sides could be loaded while communicating with a robot on the production line — and theoretically without touching the glass panels. The tilt table used built-in pistons to push 200- to 400-pound boxes onto a cart, which attaches to the table during loading with an electromagnet. Software systems control both prototypes.

The projects could improve production efficiency and worker safety while reducing costs at Viracon. As with many projects, students began their research by visiting Viracon’s production facility to see the current processes.

The tilt table operations are controlled with computer software designed by students. / ��Ͽ�

From Viracon, Senior Engineering Manager Peter Kuhlman witnessed aspects of both projects that could be incorporated into final design solutions. He especially cited the material handling cart team, which “achieved more than anyone should expect from engineering students.

“I am very impressed by the students, the professors and the program,” he said, citing great communication with the teams and effective development, design and review processes.

“I hope this is the beginning of an ongoing partnership. It’s really a win-win-win; the students get real-world experience, we get a solution to a problem and hopefully this can turn into a pipeline for engineering talent for our company. I hope to sponsor projects every year moving forward and to work with the professors to make sure that we are providing the best possible learning opportunities for the students,” Kuhlman said.

Students, faculty and company representatives watch the tilt table Senior Design Experience demonstration for Viracon in the Fryklund Hall engineering labs. / ��Ͽ�

He has invited the professors to tour Viracon’s production facility to help identify new student projects. “I can’t wait to see what comes of this partnership,” he said.

More than 20 ongoing projects

Along with projects completed this spring, others are underway and will finish at the end of the fall semester while new ones also will begin in the fall — more than 20 industry collaborations at any given time.

Sponsoring companies provide full financial support of all needed equipment and materials for the testing of ideas and build of final products or systems. Students had to stay within budgets that ranged from $5,000 to $20,000, although one budget was $110,000 because it used two robots. They also submitted their project documents to the companies.

Assistant Professor Danny Bee, Senior Lecturer Glenn Bushendorf and Instrumentation Coordinator Paul Craig were the project advisers. They worked closely with students in labs and with the industry sponsors.

The cart team: from left Isaac Nachtigal, Jordan Bowe, Carter Smith, Bridgette Allen, Steve Strusz from Viracon, Seth Gunderzik, Hattie Kipke and Peter Kuhlman from Viracon. / ��Ͽ�

“The true value of our Senior Design Experience is to allow developing engineers to practice the stage gate-driven design and project build,” said Bee, noting a methodology that includes built-in reviews. “Our students know how to design and build their projects.”

The Senior Design Experience blends all three of the university’s tenets — applied learning and research, business and industry collaboration, and career-focused experiences.

Craig, the new program director for manufacturing engineering, said the experience prepares students for a smooth transition into the workforce. “They begin their careers with a leg up on other engineering graduates because of the extensive laboratory-based instruction, which our polytechnic university is known for,” he said.

Graduates from the mechanical and manufacturing engineering programs in 2022-23 reported 100% employment and an average starting salary of more than $70,000, according to a new university First Destination Report.

��Ͽ�’s Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering also has a program in plastics engineering, as well as a bachelor’s program in engineering technology. A master’s in manufacturing engineering is available on campus or online.

###

It was the moment of truth for a team of ��Ͽ� engineering majors, as peers, professors and industry representatives gathered around. Eng. capstones hinge 1

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Hero Caption: Student Alexander Suelflow demonstrates a push piston that was part of his team’s tilt table design for Viracon.

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��Ͽ� students take multiple first, second places for computer programming, sustainable packaging research

goersab — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 18:39:58 +0000

��Ͽ� students take multiple first, second places for computer programming, sustainable packaging researchgoersab December 11, 2023

STEM students excel at regional, state competitions

Abbey Goers

��Ͽ� students across multiple programs in the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management stayed cool under pressure as they took home first and second place prizes in multiple regional and state competitions this fall.

The Coding Club dialed in first places in both the experienced and novice team classes in the programming competition at the 30th annual Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges Midwestern Conference.

Four computer and electrical engineering students raced against teams from 13 area universities to solve computer programming problems at the DigiKey Collegiate Computing Competition to earn second place.

And Areeba Ali, a graduate student in M.S. food science and technology, won the Wisconsin Biohealth Communications Competition for graduate students at the Wisconsin Biohealth Summit. This is her second first-place prize for research this fall.

Coding Club takes first place twice in CCSC competition

Coding Club members participated remotely from Jarvis Hall Science Wing during the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, Oct. 20-21. An in-person competition was held at University of Indianapolis’ Schwitzer Student Center.

��Ͽ�’s Coding Club members in Jarvis Hall / Saleh Alnaeli

Club members involved were:

Evan Dewitt, computer science junior from Wisconsin Rapids
Riley Gaetz, first-year computer science student from Eau Claire
Emmett Jaakkola, second-year applied mathematics and computer science student from St. Paul
Brett Kreklau, applied mathematics and computer science senior from Chili, Wis.
Nathan LaCrosse, first-year applied mathematics and computer science student from Portage
Tyler Marefke, applied mathematics and computer science; computer science alum from Marshfield
Ziad Mohammad, computer and electrical engineering senior from Alexandria, Egypt
Matthew Pomes, computer science senior from Milwaukee
Dylan Rothbauer, second-year computer science student from Cadott

“A good way to think about coding is that it’s like writing instructions for a computer to do a certain task,” LaCrosse said. “I would encourage others to join Coding Club. The competition was a good experience, and it’s a great way to familiarize yourself with problem solving in computer science.”

Professors Saleh Alnaeli and Ahmed El-Magrous, faculty advisers and club officers, helped organize the conference.

“We try to motivate our students to go beyond the classroom. Joining Coding Club and participating in competitions like CCSC are great opportunities to be involved and build leadership skills,” said Alnaeli, who thanked ��Ͽ�’s mathematics, statistics and computer science department for its support.

During the conference, Alnaeli and El-Magrous presented “Exploring the Quality and Vulnerabilities of Open Source Systems: An Empirical Investigation.” Professor Tyler Thomas presented on “Secview: A Design for Lightweight Security Code Reviews through Live Static Analysis Integration.” He also presented senior project pitches from the computer science Software Engineering Practicum.

The CCSC is a nonprofit organization that promotes the advancement of computer science degree programs and curricula. It also supports activities for faculty related to computing resources and educational applications of computer technology.

Coding Club members and mentors at the Midwest Instruction and Computing Symposium / Saleh Alnaeli

Last spring, Coding Club students took second among 30 university teams in the programming contest at the 55th annual Midwest Instruction and Computing Symposium, at the University of Northern Iowa, in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

CEE students takes second place in DigiKey competition

The second-place DigiKey team traveled to Thief River Falls, Minn., on Oct. 20. Their challenge consisted of a set of word problems and two programming events – a long problem and a short problem.

Members were Corey Hedlund, of Eau Claire; Sam Koland, of Forest Lake, Minn.; Jack Lonn, of Eden Prairie, Minn.; and Michael Witt, of Port Washington. They were coached by Assistant Professor Yuan Xing, engineering and technology department.

��Ͽ�’s second-place team at DigiKey / Yuan Xing

“The word problems were basically like a math test. We did extremely well on this section and only missed one out of the 24 problems. We got first for that section. I enjoyed the competition, mainly because I got to hang out with some cool teammates,” said Hedlund, who enjoys the CEE program because of the big class projects, where “I can choose what I want to do and spend a few months making it real.”

For the programming problems, teams were given a description of desired inputs and outputs, with a goal to write a program that gave an expected output, and which ran on 10 test cases. The teams were given 15 short problems and four long problems, with 90 minutes to solve each set.

��Ͽ�’s team solved seven out of 10 test cases for the short programming problems. Six teams out of 19, including ��Ͽ�’s team, solved none of the long problems, which were much more difficult, Hedlund added.

“The DigiKey competition has a huge impact in this region,” Xing said. “Teams from Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota attend. ��Ͽ� has been invited to attend every year, but this is the first time our team received a prize – an amazing second place.”

The team received $3,000 and each member received a $200 Amazon gift card. DigiKey has been holding the competition since 2000.

Ali’s research wins first place at BioForward competition

Areeba Ali with her Biohealth Communications award in Madison / Areeba Ali

At the Biohealth competition, Ali presented her research, “Eco-friendly Biodegradable Packaging for Food from Milk Whey Protein Isolate,” competing against other graduate/medical students and postdoctoral fellows from Wisconsin universities and technical colleges. Her research into sustainable packaging made from milk protein was inspired by Wisconsin’s dairy-rich identity.

The competition, organized by BioForward Inc., seeks to aid Wisconsin’s young biohealth leaders and emerging scientists in developing critical skills to discuss advanced topics with the general public in quick, fun and accessible presentations, Ali said.

“This could not have been possible without the guidance of my supervisor, Dr. Pranabendu Mitra,” Ali said.

Ali thanked ��Ͽ�’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, which awarded her a Student Research Dissemination Grant to attend the event. Students have four opportunities each year to apply for the grant. Last year, 41 grants were awarded, totaling $47,087.

This was the third annual Biohealth competition, held on Oct. 17, at the Overture Center, in Madison.

Food science graduate student Areeba Ali wins WiSys Quick Pitch state title, People’s Choice

Research into sustainable packaging made from milk protein inspired by Wisconsin’s dairy-rich identity

Ali received $1,000 for her first place. In August, she also won first place and the People’s Choice Award for “Development of Eco-friendly Milk Whey Protein Isolate Biodegradable Packaging,” at the annual WiSys SPARK Symposium’s Quick Pitch state final, hosted by UW Oshkosh.

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Hero Caption: Coding Club members competed at the Midwest Instruction and Computing Symposium last spring. Photo provided by Saleh Alnaeli.

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Inspiring Graduate: Matthew Ryan, B.S. Computer & Electrical Engineering

goersab — Wed, 24 May 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Inspiring Graduate: Matthew Ryan, B.S. Computer & Electrical Engineeringgoersab May 24, 2023

'It's the people that make it all worth it.'

Inspiring Graduate: Matthew Ryan (’23)

Hometown: Oconomowoc
Degree: B.S. Computer & Electrical Engineering
Minors: Computer Science; Mathematics; Physics

Before Matthew Ryan earned his B.S. in computer and electrical engineering from ��Ͽ� on May 6, he was hired as a software engineer for United Launch Alliance. Soon, he’ll move to Colorado to start his career with the aerospace company, where he interned last summer.

Inspiring Graduate Matthew Ryan at the Memorial Student Center Grand Stairwelll / ��Ͽ�

For soon-to-be ��Ͽ� students and graduates, Ryan said, “Don't be afraid to take some risks, such as moving out to a different state for an internship. As scary as it may seem with all the unknowns, you learn a lot about yourself and what works best for you, and it could lead to a full-time position after graduation.”

How well has ��Ͽ� prepared you to work in your field and why?

My Stout experience has taught me how to handle myself in the real world.

Not only did I improve my problem-solving skills with the hands-on classroom approach, but I also learned how to communicate effectively with my professors and classmates, and I feel that those skills will help me after graduation.

Throughout my coursework at ��Ͽ�, I was exposed to many different technologies used in the computer hardware/software industry. Having that exposure helped me during my internships to contribute to more work right away. And having an internship experience prepared me for classes I had yet to take by exposing me to more industry-related things.

What stands out about your ��Ͽ� experience?

One thing that stands out to me about my Stout experience is the people. Most everyone I have met in classes or in athletics has been willing to offer help when needed. We all want each other to succeed, and those symbiotic relationships help grow programs regardless of whether it is in school or life. That alone has helped me in my internships and industry experience to be successful.

Matthew Ryan, third from left, at his internship / Matthew Ryan

I am most proud of the relationships I formed over my time at Stout. Anybody can go through college, do the work, and get a degree, but having all these people through my major program and athletics is something to smile about. I never thought before college I would have met as many people as I did and left such a positive impact on so many.

It's the people who make it all worth it.

How did your involvement impact your experience?

I was on the men's cross-country team and the track and field team at Stout. This had a major impact on my time here, since I spent most of my free time at practice or hanging out with my teammates.

I was able to apply teamwork skills to the classroom by knowing how a team should interact to best complete a task. Having that student-athlete experience also gave me an advantage in the workforce by being able to contribute exceptional time-management and communication skills. The team is there to support everyone. I am grateful for the experience of being a student athlete and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Matthew Ryan, second from right, and the ��Ͽ� cross country team / Matthew Ryan

As a student athlete, there were many times when I had to miss a class to compete. This made keeping up with classwork difficult, especially when taking 17 credits a semester earlier in college. Communicating absences with professors early on helped preserve good relationships. Also, managing my time to make up missed work helped ensure I would not fall behind my peers.

Additionally, I was a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers student branch, which exposed me to workshops diving deeper into some concepts learned in class. And I helped form an Aerospace Club this past year to help bring more interest to that industry and tinker with my engineering skills.

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'It's the people that make it all worth it.' matthew_ryan_msc_1.jpg

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