2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

ABET Inc. requires the curriculum within an engineering program to include a culminating major engineering design experience that incorporates appropriate engineering standards and multiple constraints, and is based on the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier course work. Many programs use a capstone design project or experience to fulfill this requirement. The paper outlines a case study on how the civil engineering program at the United States Air Force Academy uses a research centric project to serve as a valid culminating design experience, which some may view as an innovative approach. The case study within the paper outlines the project itself, the motivation for pursuing a research-centric capstone, a description of the overall capstone experience, and a justification for how the program feels the project meets the ABET requirements.