Academics, School of Science, Physics & Astronomy

Before students in Engineering Design could complete their project, they had to come up with an idea for their project first.

The course begins over the summer when Kamyar Pashayi, Ph.D., adjunct lecturer, asks the students to consider a problem. Next, they have to imagine a solution. After that - they build it.

This summer, his students considered problems in the supply chain, and determined drone delivery (warehouse to consumer) would expedite the process. They broke into three teams - design, structure, electronics - and set out to develop a prototype drone from scratch. 

For every breakthrough there would be a setback (for example, the 3D printed leg worked until it was stepped on), but that's part of the education. The students are taught to critically think through problems and deviate from their original plans to develop solutions. It's all about problem solving real-world problems. And in this case, when it works, the drone flies.

"It's a beautiful moment to see it fly, because I feel like all the hard work, the trial and error, the different components failing... it's a true sense of fulfillment to watch the students succeed."

Kamyar Pashayi, Ph.D., adjunct lecturer