Seniors in The University of Tulsa’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department showed their premier communication and technical skills at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Tulsa section, held April 17. Of the five teams competing, two placed first and third.
The students developed solutions for real-world clients, including local museums and energy companies, through their senior design course. The course, taught by Adjunct Professor Douglas Jussaume, challenges students to work with external customers to design, implement and present a technical project. Students also competed based on design and presentation of the solutions.
Winning projects
The first-place team, High Power LC Filter, included students Tyler Collins, Adam Dyer, and Trey Delozier. They modeled a 260kVA variable-speed drive using MATLAB/Simulink to study the effects of adding an LC filter to the output. The team also developed automation and data analysis scripts to interpret simulation results across a wide range of operating conditions.
The third-place team, Universal IO, featured Gabriel Torianyk and Joe Frost. Working with energy services company Baker Hughes, they developed a user-defined input/output system using provided circuit boards. Their project included a web-based interface for channel configuration, a real-time dashboard, and a scalable system architecture.
Additional projects and clients
Other student teams completed impressive projects for customers ranging from the Tulsa Air and Space Museum (TASM) to faculty and industry partners:
- T37 Flight Simulator (Zachariah Chorette, Saul Aguayo, Luke Ozment, Mary Claire Giessen): Designed a fully functional flight simulator for TASM that mimics flying a T-37 aircraft. Features included single- and multi-player modes with haptic feedback for added immersion.
- Space-Themed Interactive Kiosk (Chris Hopton, Ghazal Khan): Created an arcade-style game for TASM, designed to increase engagement with the museum’s space and Apollo-era exhibits.
- IMU Motion Tracking Project (Jillian Forcum): Developed a wearable motion tracking system to generate data for machine learning applications. The project was sponsored by ECE Endowed Chair Hazem Refai.
The senior design sequence is required. Students find clients, plan a project, complete the design, and deliver a professional presentation.
“The whole class participates,” said Jussaume. “This competition gives students a chance to talk about the result of their projects, improving their communication skills to be professional orators within the space of engineering.”
Refai emphasized the importance of communication in engineering careers: “In the professional field, engineers who can communicate open themselves up for more advancement and success. By challenging students through design projects and competitions, we show that we are developing powerful communicators here in ECE.”