The research conducted by GW Engineering students represents the potential of engineering to address society’s pressing challenges. On April 26, 117 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, and research scientists from GW Engineering gathered in the Science & Engineering Hall to display their research at this year’s Research & Design (R&D) and Senior Design Showcase.
The R&D Showcase was founded by GW Engineering alumnus Randolph “Randy” Graves in 2007. Since then, it has become an annual event, expanding in 2022 to include senior design/capstone projects. Every year, students participate in the showcase as it provides them with beneficial practice in presenting their research to individuals outside of their disciplines.
The research presentations sprawled across the first and lower levels of the Science & Engineering Hall. The B-1 level featured 31 senior design projects, representing five of GW Engineering’s departments, such as a Department of Computer Science team that presented, “Re(search)-Verse.” Members of the student organization, the GW Mini Baja Team, also presented a new steering system they developed.
Continuing on the first floor, participating students displayed 86 additional state-of-the-art research projects. For example, Ph.D. candidate in Systems Engineering Leah Kaplan presented her research project, “AI Behind the Wheel: Work and Economics in the Era of Autonomous Vehicles.” Kaplan’s research, which won GW’s Three-Minute Thesis Competition, delves into the complex interplay between automation and human labor, shedding light on the societal impacts of autonomous vehicles.
Through their participation in the showcase, presenters like Kaplan also have the chance to win Commercialization Awards from GW’s Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship. This award helps students near commercialization grow their research projects by receiving a $1,000 cash award and participating in a two-week GW National Science Foundation (NSF) Regional I-Corps Short Course. Stay tuned for this year’s winners to be announced!