ECE students explore novel ideas at Engineering Discovery Day
(From left) Engineering undergraduates Nick Inscho and Joshua Fraire collaborate with electrical engineering major Henrich Buendia and civil engineering major Baw Reh to design a sensor-equipped garbage can that alerts users when full.
Electrical and computer engineering students showed off their skills at the first-ever Engineering Discovery Day at the University of Arizona. This event, modeled after Craig M. Berge Design Day, gathered first-year engineering students on Nov. 20 to compete and showcase projects they built from the ground up.
One student-led project, supported by ECE major Latrell Smith, aimed to prevent overwatering plants. The design connected two sensors to a water pump and a microcomputer to monitor soil moisture. When the moisture level dropped below 30%, the system automatically watered the plant.
“This is our first year running this event, and the results have been outstanding,” said Joanna Robertson, adjunct engineering professor and Discovery Day lead instructor. “Students were eager to pursue their own ideas and expand on the interests they developed during the Solar Track Meet.”
W.L. Gore & Associates, a global materials science company, supplied materials and awarded prizes to top teams for categories like best use of prototyping and best overall design.