The Tickle College of Engineering Senior Design Showcase is an event celebrating the creative work of our seniors. The projects provide a myriad of challenges that must be overcome to develop solutions effectively balancing the desired system performance with available time and financial resources.

The showcase will provide you with a venue to engage audiences of varying levels of technical literacy and life experiences. You are encouraged to invite your friends and family to the event—after all, they’ve likely been hearing you talk about your experiences for many months now. You can also expect to see project sponsors, potential employers, peers, and underclassmen at the event.

The content on this page is intended to provide guidance in what to prepare and what is expected of you, as well as where to be, and when to be there.

Event Dress Code

Students are expected to wear appropriate business professional attire. Sponsor/department-provided logo polo or button-down shirt/blouse is acceptable as well.

Preparation Timeline

• One Month Out
  • Start designing your poster. You may use your course-specific template or access TCE-branded templates available here
  • Start designing how you will convey the story of your project
  • Determine what and how you will demonstrate your prototype system, software, simulation or experiment
  • List what equipment and supporting items you will need
  • Make sure your client/sponsor/advisor knows about the event and will attend
  • Request an excused absence letter from your senior design instructor so you can miss class 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. on May 6
• T-Minus Two Weeks
  • Review poster draft with your teammates, client and advisor
  • Get your suit dry cleaned
  • Script your poster and demonstration delivery
  • Get your plan together for gathering the needed support equipment
  • Get your plan together for picking up, dropping off, setting up, knocking down, and returning borrowed support equipment
  • Confirm the ordering process and timeline for your project poster with your instructor
• T-Minus One Week
  • Final spell check of the poster
  • Make sure your poster has been ordered for print through your department (preference is to have posters mounted on foamboard; however, check with your instructor)
  • Practice your poster and demonstration delivery (all team members!)
  • Pick up your cleaned suit
• T-Minus Three Days
  • Pick up your poster and make one final check
  • Rehearse the demonstration and poster presentation
  • Verify equipment will be ready for pick up
• T-Minus Two Days
  • Gather all equipment and items needed for your poster and demonstration–extension cords for power needs should be 10 ft

Day-of Timeline

• Zeanah Engineering Complex (ZEC) setup: 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
  • Check in at the Ground Floor Lobby
  • Pick up name tags for your group
  • Locate your table—poster stations are grouped by department and major; map (coming soon)
  • Set up your poster (easel will be provided by Integrated Engineering Design) and arrange your materials at your station; note that for most projects, the posters will be displayed on table-top easels rather than floor-standing easels
• What to bring to setup
  • Poster mounted on foamboard (unless otherwise specified, binder clips and foamboard will not be provided)
  • Prototype system/software, experimental setup, and/or simulation
  • Any computers and displays needed to demonstrate/explain the project
• Lunch: 11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
  • Box lunches will be provided for all senior design students
  • Check your team in, pick up name tags and boxed lunches in the lobby in front of the First-year Design Studio (G158 ZEC)
  • Seating in G158 is first-come-first-served. Lunch seating is also available in and around the Zeanah Engineering Complex.
• Main Event: 1–4 p.m.
  • Engage visitors in your project
  • Use your poster to walk through the story of the project and your results
  • Demonstrate your prototype system, software or simulation
  • If possible, allow visitors to try it out themselves
  • Insure that your poster always has at least 2 team members present and rotate so that you can visit other posters
• Knock down: 4–5 p.m.
  • Remove all materials from your table top
  • Fold up your table cover and place on table top
  • Collapse your easel and place on the table top
  • Unplug the table from the floor outlet
  • Unlock all the table wheels
  • Your team is responsible for returning any technology or support materials borrowed from your department (computer monitors, cables, power supplies, etc.)
  • Return name badge holders to the Information Desk (First Floor Lobby)
  • Return your posters to your departmental senior design space
  • Throw away any trash
• Night of the showcase
  • Celebrate!