UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Engineering’s Learning Factory will host its end-of-semester showcase for senior engineering students to present their capstone design projects with both in-person and virtual formats.
The in-person showcase will take place from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on April 25 in the Bryce Jordan Center Arena, and the virtual showcase will take place April 26-May 5. Both versions of the event are free and open to the public.
For more than 25 years, the showcase has provided senior engineering students from across the College of Engineering with an opportunity to share their capstone projects, which are sponsored by a variety of local and national firms as well as government agencies. A complete list of current projects and sponsors can be found here.
Projects, posters and videos will be judged for awards, including a People’s Choice Award voted on by attendees of both the in-person and virtual versions of the showcase. The awards are sponsored by BP and Lockheed Martin. Winners will be announced at the end of the showcase and listed online here.
“The showcase happens the last week of the semester and is the official end of our students’ capstone projects,” said Matthew Parkinson, director of the Learning Factory and professor of engineering design and mechanical engineering. “Each semester, I am truly impressed by the videos, posters and other materials produced by the students. The judges have their work cut out for them — selecting just a few winners from such an impressive body of work isn’t easy.”
Permits are not needed for parking. Visitors may park in the Orange L (South) parking lot behind the Bryce Jordan Center, Jordan East (Lot 44), Stadium West or Porter North commuter lots. Parking is not permitted in Orange L East, except for ADA parking with a properly displayed state-issued ADA plate or placard. Faculty with Penn State permits may also park in Orange L East. A map of parking locations can be found here.
The Learning Factory is the maker space for the Penn State College of Engineering. It hosts several activities and offers safety and equipment training for students, who can use the facility for free. Members of industry can learn more about the Learning Factory, including how to sponsor a capstone project, by clicking here.