WMU has tons of talent in engineering and design

If you want to know what the next big thing is head over to Western Michigan University.A wind turbine designed for home use, an exterior protective shell for a three-wheeled, electric-powered vehicle, and product concepts to prevent falls and injuries in hospitals will be among the projects presented Tuesday, April 20, at Western Michigan University’s 46th Conference on Senior Engineering and Design.WMU students will showcase and demonstrate their projects from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences on WMU’s Parkview Campus. Sponsored by the university, the event is free and open to the public.More than 200 seniors will present the results of 73 projects they have completed to solve problems facing business and industry.Many of the projects are sponsored by Southwest Michigan firms, including Flowserve Corp., Graphic Packaging, Kellogg Co., Pfizer Inc. and Stryker Medical.Participants represent a variety of disciplines, including construction engineering, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, industrial and manufacturing engineering, mechanical and aeronautical engineering and paper and chemical engineering.The conference takes place twice a year, in April and December, to showcase the work of graduating seniors in the engineering disciplines who are required to complete a real-world capstone project.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Tamara Bergman, WMU