Senior Design

Our Engineering, Design, and Development (Senior Design) course is the capstone engineering course here at Lathrop.  In this class you get the chance to design, develop, and build projects of your own design and to solve problems of your own choosing.

1st Quarter

Unit 1: Arctic Innovation

Due: September 2, 2022

Start out the year with a complete application for UAF’s Arctic Innovation Design Competition!

Unit 2: Game Design

Due: September 23, 2022

Design and build your very own custom board game – the kind of game that looks super cool and you’re proud to play.

Unit 3: Materials & Machines

Due: October 14, 2022

Investigate a variety of new materials that engineers have developed, as well as a variety of machines that do cool stuff.

2nd Quarter

Unit 4: Exploration

Due: November 4, 2022

Pick a machine in our Makerspace that you want to learn more about.  Figure out how it works and make something cool.

Unit 5: Water Purification

Due: November 23, 2022

Use the Engineering Design Process to develop a water purification system that can affect turbidity & pH.

Unit 6: Individual Mini-Project

Due: December 16, 2022

Complete a small personal project that starts you on your way towards a long-term Senior Design project!

3rd QUARTER

Unit 7: Capstone Project Phase 1

Due: January 20, 2023

Start your final Senior Design project with a complete design brief, research plan, and actual research data.

Unit 8: Capstone Project Phase 2

Due: February 17, 2023

Submit your research to the Science Symposium as you develop your first prototype!

Unit 9: Capstone Project Phase 3

Due: March 10, 2023

Develop your ideas further as you refine your approach and build your 2nd (or more) prototype of your senior design project.

4th Quarter

Unit 10: Capstone Project Phase 4

Due: April 7, 2023

Complete your 3rd (or later) prototype of your evolving Senior Design project.  Start thinking toward the Ehnert Prize presentation.

Unit 11: Ehnert Prize

Due: April 30, 2023

Complete your final prototype and develop a complete presentation for the official Ehnert Prize judging to happen at the end of April!