ETSU engineering students present projects solving local issues

Engineering students at East Tennessee State University are leaving the classroom with hands-on experience and, in some cases, job offers already in reach. During capstone presentations, nine senior students shared the results of yearlong projects completed in partnership with regional companies, highlighting both technical problem-solving and industry collaboration. Matthew Sheppard, the course instructor, said the goal of the class is to connect students directly with real-world engineering challenges. "My favorite part of what I do is getting to see the students grow," Sheppard said. "We've had several job interviews and job placements over the last couple of years with our sponsor projects. It is always neat to see students walking out of this class with more hands-on experience, a greater sense of engineering, career readiness and, in some cases, a real job." Three project teams worked with Mattern & Craig Engineering, Cardinal Glass Industries of Church Hill and Snap-on Tools of Elizabethton. "We had three project teams that tackled a real project for each of these sponsored companies," Sheppard said. "We had nine super talented students who have all done really well at this course. Students are going to come up here and talk a little bit about that today and share some of the work that they've done." Students presented their work publicly, walking through their design processes, challenges and final results. The team working with Mattern & Craig Engineering, led by Chloe Phillips and including Shamsideen Muhammad and Michael Starhoudakis, developed the early phases of a subdivision proposal. Their work followed three phases including conceptual layout, grading plans and construction preparation. The Cardinal Glass Industries team, led by Jack Macfarlane with Matthew Burton and Tom Warren, focused on improving quality control processes in glass manufacturing. The system incorporated a Keyence IV3 sensor and a photo eye, positioned parallel to the camera lens for optimal performance. Using built-in artificial intelligence features, the team trained the system with sample images to classify glass as acceptable or defective. The Snap-on Tools team, with Chelsea Mull, Jesse Chapman and Laura Holcomb, focused on improving an existing automatic embossing machine at the company's Elizabethton facility. Mull said the goal was to improve cycle time and reduce reliance on manual processes. "We're proud of the results, and the data speaks for itself," Holcomb said. Sheppard said the partnerships continue to create tangible opportunities for students entering the workforce.