13 Biosystems Engineering seniors participate in 2024 Craig M. Berge Design Day
Four of the 11 projects Biosystems Engineering students participated in received an award, with one project winning Best Overall Design.
Team members of the Mobile Alfalfa Drying System project at the UA Mall for the 2024 Craig M. Berge Design Day.
Murat Kacira
This spring, 13 students with the Department of Biosystems Engineering competed for a chance to win thousands of dollars in awards for completing innovative projects in areas ranging from aerospace and electronics to energy. During the Craig M. Berge Design Day, interdisciplinary teams of four to six seniors demonstrated their abilities to design and build projects sponsored by industry partners and faculty members—a big reason employers view our students as industry-ready!
"Through their dedication to innovation and unwavering commitment to excellence, Biosystems Engineering students continue to redefine the boundaries of possibilities in Capstone Designs and in the College of Engineering Design Day,” said Murat Kacira, interim head of the Department of Biosystems Engineering. “Their outstanding work, along with that of their project teams, stands as testament to their ingenuity and passion for creating a better world.”
The Biosystems Engineering students participated in 11 teams. Notably, four projects were recognized with an award, with one project, the “Autonomous Multi-Legged Robot for Crop/Turf Management,” sponsored by the Biosystems Engineering Department, earning Best Overall Design for its second consecutive year. The award is presented to the project that embodies the best attributes of engineering design and the engineering profession.
“With each project, our students are not just innovating, they are shaping the future and leaving an indelible impact on our world," Kacira said.
Raytheon Award for Best Overall Design
Autonomous Multi-Legged Robot for Crop/Turf Management
Goal: Create a bio-inspired crop-monitoring robot that can automatically determine the health of a field.
Biosystems Engineering Student: Annalisa Minke
Sponsor: Biosystems Engineering Department
Faculty Advisors: Brian Little, Mark Siemens, Pedro Andrade Sanchez
The Autonomous Multi-Legged Robot for Crop/Turf Management team
Bly Family Award for Innovation in Energy Production, Supply or Use
Plastic Recycling, Carbon Capture and Disaster Relief Through Pyrolysis
Goal: Design and construct a small-scale pyrolysis plant that safely converts municipal waste into fuel.
Biosystems Engineering Students: Ben Hunt & Gracie Reinholz
The Plastic Recycling, Carbon Capture and Disaster Relief Through Pyrolysis team
Mark Brazier Award for Best Biomedical Systems Design
Modular Biomedical Sensor Board for Education
Goal: Develop an educational platform capable of measuring seven physiological signals, enabling students to gather and analyze data safely and effectively.
Biosystems Engineering Student: Michael Chase Morrett
Modular Biomedical Sensor Board for Education
Rincon Research Award for Best Presentation, Larry Head Award for Best Video Capturing the Project Story
WATER-SAFE – PFAS/Microplastic Water Detection System for Environmental and Human Health
Goal: Develop a low-cost method of microplastic and PFAS detection in drinking water.
Biosystems Engineering Student: Matthew Martinez
WATER-SAFE – PFAS/Microplastic Water Detection System for Environmental and Human Health
Phospho-Dx a Point-of-Care Phosphorus Diagnostic System for Chronic Kidney Disease Patient Safety
Goal: Offer a noninvasive, at-home method of measuring phosphorus content in foods and fluids using sensing, machine learning and analysis.
Biosystems Engineering Student: Taylor Lansky
Vibroshear: A System for High-Throughout Drug Discovery of Agents Limiting Shear-Mediated Cell (Platelet) Activation
Goal: Develop a complete system to mechanically activate platelets to test the efficacy of agents that might limit shear-mediated platelets activation.
Biosystems Engineering Student: JayCee Angel Miller
Repurposing Hemp/Cannabis Biomass: Fiber Extraction and Fractionation to Make Valuable Biobased Raw Materials
Goal: Design and build a transportable machine for separating fibers from cannabis/hemp stalks to facilitate the creation of valuable bio-based products.
Biosystems Engineering Student: Natalie D’Angelo
F1 Drug Detector
Goal: Redesign and enhance the “red head” component of the F1 Drug detector from Lightsense Technology.
Biosystems Engineering Student: Caroline Elizabeth Kenyon
Aquaponic Media Cleaning Device
Goal: Design and deploy a device capable of autonomously cleaning Light Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA) media for integration into aquaponic farming systems.
Biosystems Engineering Student: Lauren Vasquez & Jeff Hortwitz
Sponsor: Biosystems Engineering Department
Faculty Advisors: Matthew “Rex” Recsetar
Mobile Alfalfa Drying System
Goal: Design a portable drying system equipped with a forced and heated air system that will decrease the total amount of drying time for alfalfa.
BE Student: Marco Eduardo Andrade Meza
Irrigation Canal Cleaning Tool
Goal: Develop a hydraulic tool attachment to remove sediment buildup within a concrete-lined irrigation canal for the Bard Water District.
Biosystems Engineering Student: Jo Guler