2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Capstone design courses serve as a pivotal element in engineering education, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application. These courses integrate research, industry sponsorship, and project-based learning to provide students with hands-on experience. Research has shown that engaging industry professionals in these projects enhances students' problem-solving, teamwork, and decision-making skills[1, 2]. Furthermore, industry-sponsored projects bring practical challenges into the academic setting, fostering collaboration between students and professionals, and preparing graduates for real-world engineering environments. [3] This synergy is critical as students are not only exposed to technical aspects but also the economic, regulatory, and professional realities of their respective fields. [4, 5]. Capstone projects supported by industry partners thus play a vital role in enhancing experiential learning and shaping competent, workforce-ready engineers. [3].
The research and industry-sponsored projects in capstone design hold significant value for both students and educators, as they integrate theoretical knowledge with practical, real-world experience. Our study focuses on the impact of integrating research-driven approaches into these industry-sponsored projects, emphasizing five key areas: (1) bridging academia and industry, (2) enhancing professional skills, (3) fostering experiential learning, (4) incorporating continuous feedback and improvement, and (5) improving student motivation and satisfaction.

This study explores the systematic and programmatic integration of research experiences into industry-sponsored capstone design projects within the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Technology curriculum. This investigation focuses on combining research methodologies with industry-driven projects to enhance students’ problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills. By integrating research into the capstone experience, students gain exposure to critical thinking and analytical methods essential for their professional development. This approach also provides a unique opportunity for students to collaborate with industry professionals, fostering a learning environment that mimics real-world engineering settings. The projects explored in this study include the development of systems to reduce CO2 emissions from gas-fired boilers, automated patient care systems, and advanced machine vision systems in manufacturing and industrial automation. The findings demonstrate that this integrated model of research and industry involvement enhances experiential learning and prepares students for the workforce by aligning academic goals with practical, industry-relevant outcomes [2, 6-8]. Overall, this investigation demonstrates that the integration of research and industry involvement in capstone design courses is essential for preparing students for the workforce and for fostering the development of competent, workforce-ready engineers​.

In summary, the integration of research and industry-sponsored projects in capstone design courses is vital for preparing students for the workforce, enhancing their professional skills, and bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. These projects foster an immersive learning experience that benefits both students and industry professionals.

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[5] T. Sulbaran, "Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) on Construction Decision-Making," Piscataway, 2023: IEEE, pp. 1-5, doi: 10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343514.
[6] D. Bhattacharjee, A. Paul, J. H. Kim, and P. Karthigaikumar, "An immersive learning model using evolutionary learning," Computers & Electrical Engineering, vol. 65, pp. 236-249, 2018/01/01/ 2018, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compeleceng.2017.08.023.
[7] J. J. Pembridge and M. C. Paretti, "Characterizing capstone design teaching: A functional taxonomy," Journal of engineering education, vol. 108, no. 2, pp. 197-219, 2019, doi: 10.1002/jee.20259.
[8] I. Mohedas, K. H. Sienko, S. R. Daly, and G. L. Cravens, "Students' perceptions of the value of stakeholder engagement during engineering design," Journal of engineering education, vol. 109, no. 4, pp. 760-779, 2020, doi: 10.1002/jee.20356.