Interdisciplinary Capstone Design Program
The University of Idaho College of Engineering is ranked by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) as top seven in the nation for infusing real-world experiences into undergraduate engineering education through its interdisciplinary Senior Capstone Design Program.
Engineering students work in interdisciplinary teams on creative projects sponsored by industry partners, private individuals or U of I departments.
Courses in the program emphasize the design process and the creation of a thoughtfully engineered, tested and validated outcome or prototype.
Our annual Engineering Design EXPO, the longest-running student engineering innovation showcase in the Pacific Northwest, is the culmination of the capstone program. Seniors present their work at EXPO through professional exhibits and technical presentations.
Important Dates
2021-2022
- 8/1/2021 Project Submission Deadline
- 8/31/2021 Capstone Project Fair
- 10/12/2021 Snapshot Day #1 – Problem Definition
- 12/03/2021 Snapshot Day #2 – Conceptual Design
- 3/29/2022 Snapshot Day #3 – Detailed Design
- 4/28-29/2022 29th Annual Engineering Design EXPO
2022-2023
- 8/1/22 Project Submission Deadline
Alternate Schedule
The University of Idaho also offers discipline-specific capstone design cycles at alternative times throughout the academic year.
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Spring/Fall sequence
- 12/15/21 Project Submission Deadline
- End of Fall Term - Final Presentation
Computer Science
Spring/Fall sequence
- 12/15/21 Project Submission Deadline
- End of Fall Term - Final Presentation
Capstone Highlights
UIEF Timber Bridge and Stream Restoration
View ProfileLow-Cost, Controllable Hypoxia Chamber For Exploring Stem Cell Behavior
View ProfileInfrasonic Wildfire Detection
View ProfileReplacing Bridge Built In 1939, Improving Safety And Mobility
View ProfileSatellite Attitude Determination, Communication And Control With AI
View ProfileRaspberry Pi Real Time Image Processing
View ProfileElectroencephalogram Headset For Human And Rat
View ProfileEmber Generator For Forest Fire Testing
View ProfileAnaerobic Digester
View ProfileBand Platform
View ProfileBonners Ferry Wastewater Pipeline
View ProfileDarwins Demons VR
View ProfileDebaler
View ProfileHelping BP to Net Zero
View ProfileImproving Scientific Instrumentation and Optical Research
View ProfileMonitoring System for Elderly Care
View ProfilePark My Ride: CDA Parking Spot Locator
View ProfileRobotic Arm for the Discovery Science Center
View ProfileTransactive Energy
View ProfileTreadmill for Early Muscle Development Research
View ProfileVirtual Fencing ('18-'19)
View ProfileVirtual Fencing ('19-'20)
View ProfileCapstone Program Contacts
Matthew Swenson
Program Director
Mechanical Engineering
swenson@uidaho.edu
208-885-9029
Steven Beyerlein
Mechanical Engineering
sbeyer@uidaho.edu
208-885-4932
Bruce Bolden
Computer Science
bruceb@uidaho.edu
208-885-5422
Dev Shrestha
Biological Engineering
devs@uidaho.edu
208-885-7545
Feng Li
Electrical and Computer Engineering
fengli@uidaho.edu
208-885-7571
Herb Hess
Electrical and Computer Engineering
hhess@uidaho.edu
208-885-4341