2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Many engineering programs provide opportunities for students to work on design teams for projects that are industry sponsored, such as in capstone courses. In these experiences, the collaboration between student teams and industry liaisons can be crucial for the successful project completion. The end goal of this study is to contribute to a deeper understanding of how the role of the liaison contributes towards a successful project delivery and a fulfilling educational experience for both the students and the liaison. This paper presents a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure a positive and productive experience for the students and liaisons. These guidelines are produced through the collection and analysis of insights into proven practices that contribute to the success of these collaborations. This paper describes a three-phase methodology for collecting the insights through 1) a literature survey of industry sponsored engineering courses, 2) interviews and surveys conducted with experienced industry liaisons, and 3), student evaluations from two capstone courses from two institutions. Students have diverse expectations for their liaisons including their consistent availability, honesty, and encouraging support. The findings suggest a positive correlation between students’ satisfaction with the project experience and their satisfaction working with their liaison. However, even with the best intentions, meeting these demands can be challenging to liaisons without proper training or experience. Project liaisons can also contribute to their own professional development and advance their lifelong learning skills. This paper provides suggestions for the course faculty to facilitate these guidelines and help prepare the industry liaisons for their role.