Setting ideas into action.
A requirement for every ISD Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) student, the graduate-level Capstone Project Course (ISD 503) is an excellent opportunity for students to gain real-world experience while applying what they have learned in their studies. Companies and entrepreneurs support our program by identifying open-ended engineering challenges or industry problems for our students to work on alongside professionals—generating ideas towards finding a solution to these problems.
Working as an individual or a team, this one- or two-semester-long project (depending on scope) gives students the chance to apply what they have learned from their M.Eng. program while companies benefit from graduate students contributing new ideas and knowledge to high priority engineering and technical issues.
Students may identify an industry project, a community-related project, a student-initiated research topic, or other ideas on the ISD Student Center Canvas page.
Interested? Have questions? Submit your project ideas or questions to our ISD 503 Capstone Coordinator today at isdcapstonecoord@umich.edu.
Capstone Details
How it works
- Projects generally range from three to six months (over 1 or 2 semesters), and depend on the scope defined by the Sponsor
- Participation requires monthly interaction by the company sponsor with student(s) as possible
- Information deemed sensitive or confidential by an external sponsor is not required to be shared with UM. Options exist to allow a student to complete a project without sharing confidential information
Examples of topic areas/projects:
Product Design
- Uncover the financial implications of a design in the technical specifications of a product
- Integrate human factors in the design of an electric motorcycle
Smart Structures
- Reduce airframe generated noise in jets
- Reduce cruise drag to reduce fuel consumption on take-off and landings
- Next generation of highly-sensitive diagnosis and structural health monitoring techniques
Sustainability
- Life cycle product design optimization
Health Systems
- ICU Hospital bed of the future
Benefits to company hosts
- Make progress towards organizational goals, continuous improvements, and critical innovations
- Achieve cost avoidance/savings
- Obtain access and exposure to expert faculty and students at U-M
- Evaluate talent and possible future hires
- Make progress toward organizational goals, continuous improvements, and critical innovations
Projects come from a variety of sources. We’re thankful to our company sponsors.