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Greg Harrington, Karl Linck, Jorge Gutierrez, and Jan Kucher pose with the 2023 UW-Madison NCEES award during the Engineers' Day Luncheon at Olbrich Botanical Garden.
November 17, 2023

CEE Capstone course wins 7th NCEES Award for renewable energy project

Written By: Stephanies Vang

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Collaboration, innovation, and commitment to sustainability are key ingredients that earned the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison its seventh Engineering Education Award from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).

The award-winning project is an offshore wind turbine farm in Texas, which aims to improve and provide renewable energy sources to achieve carbon emission goals. With the award comes a $10,000 prize that will support the continued success of the capstone program.

A team of five senior engineering students from the CEE Department, guided by practicing engineers and faculty, completed the project. Through the project, the students gained hands-on experience in construction management, structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, and environmental engineering.

Collaboration and innovation are at the heart of this project’s success. The student team worked closely together, leveraging their knowledge, and partnering with professional mentors and licensed engineers, who brought specialized knowledge and experience to the project. Throughout the process, health and safety regulations were rigorously evaluated to protect public welfare. The team’s dedication to adhering to applicable codes and standards introduced a safe and sustainable engineering solution.

The student team achieved remarkable results in developing the offshore wind farm system. By harnessing the power of the wind, this project not only promises low-cost, renewable energy, but also serves as an educational platform to raise awareness about the importance of clean energy. The collaborative nature of the project, involving students, mentors, and industry professionals, exemplifies the power of teamwork in tackling complex engineering challenges.

Once complete the wind farm will contribute to the local community’s renewable energy goals, while also inspiring further innovation and research in the field of clean energy, forging a path towards a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come.

Credit for the project goes to student team members Camille Schmidt, Alex Jansen, Lucas Senta, Brogan MacDougall, and Jorge Gutierrez. Faculty support was led by Greg Harrington, Jan Kucher, and Mark Oleinik, with additional guidance from Chris Enos, Casey Joyce, Ned Pashke, Tim Schleeper, Brian Veit, and Bill Wuellner.

Other NCEES award-winning capstone projects completed by students include: