Undergraduate Research in Engineering

Involving undergraduate students in research is a key component of the engineering educational experience at St Thomas.  Research adds to a students education by foster unique faculty/student collaboration and an opportunity to truly delve into the unknown.  Most of our projects are directly funded by industry, so the student also experiences first hand the R&D needs of technical companies.   Students also benefit by gaining working knowledge of engineering specialties and receive pay for their efforts.  Many students present their work at conferences and/or submit papers for publication.

Here is a summary of some recent and current projects:

Robert Schulzetenberg (’10), Hans Drabek (’10), Tim Welle, David Timm. Advisor Dr. Camille George. A passive evaporative cooler for preserving produce, in partnership with the Rural Economic Institute of Mali, the Malian School of Agriculture and the USDA Higher Education Challenge Grants Program 2007-02535.

Tom McCulloch ('10) and advisor Dr. Camille George. A Solar Roaster for Peanuts, in partnership with Compatible Technologies International.

Katie McCaffrey ('09), Karen Rose ('09) and Dr. John P. Abraham: Uterus Cryosurgery, funded by a NSF grant, 2008-2009.

James Portmann ('09), Hans Pflaumer ('11). Advisors: Dr. Kaye L. Smith and John Angeli. Advanced Composite Materials Research, sponsored by School of Engineering.

Robert Erickson ('09) supervised by Dr. Greg Mowry and Dr. John Abraham: Wind-Turbine Design Project funded by "Horizontal Winds."

William Besser ('09), Kevin Krautbauer ('08) and Dr. John P. Abraham: Cooling the Joint Strike Fighter, sponsored by Lockheed Martin, Summer 2008.

Fuschia-Ann Hoover ('09) and Dr. John P. Abraham: Study of Corn and Cellulosic Ethanol for Transportation Fuels, supported by St. Thomas McNair Scholars program, Summer 2008.

If you have questions about undergraduate research opportunities, please contact either the individual faculty member or Dean Dr. Don Weinkauf at dhweinkauf@stthomas.edu.