May 7, 2026 Celebrating Spring 2026 Senior Design Showcase Written By: Kassi Akers Departments: Mechanical Engineering Categories: Awards|Students|Undergraduate On Thursday, April 30th, the Mechanical Engineering Building buzzed with energy and excitement as the Spring 2026 Senior Design Showcase got underway. Bringing together 63 Mechanical Engineering teams, 8 Engineering Mechanics groups, and 11 Faustin Prinz Undergraduate Research Fellows, the event highlighted innovative ideas, showcased working prototypes, and demonstrated tangible results. After two semesters of hard work and dedication, students proudly presented their projects to peers, faculty, family, and industry guests, marking the culmination of their academic journey. Smart Design Awards To recognize the dedication and achievement behind these projects, ME alumni Tim and Tom Smart were present to award the 3rd annual Smart Design Awards. These awards, consisting of Best Overall, Best Prototype, and Most Significant Impact, seek to acknowledge the outstanding work of young engineers. Teams self-nominate to be considered for these awards and then the Smart Brothers spend time with each group reviewing and judging the teams’ projects. After careful review and consideration, the top teams are recognized for their success. Best Overall – BUCK-EAlex Aquino, Gavin Chang, Akash Deepak, Brian Vazquez Sanchez (Pictured with Tim & Tom Smart) Best Prototype – Vibe ControlConnor Dethloff, Jack Littlejohn, Matthew Poynter, Alec Ukkola Most Significant Impact – EggnitionJosef Kloiber, Charles Luther, Ian Malone, Ted Seidenberg(Pictured with TA Ethan Burton) Juan Blanco Medical Design Innovation Award The Mechanical Engineering Department is also excited to announce the 1st annual Juan Blanco Medical Design Innovation Award. This award, sponsored by alumnus John White, seeks to acknowledge teams developing products and services used in the medical field to treat or improve the health of patients. Juan Blanco Medical Design Award – BERR ExoRyan Hogan, Rory Koperski, Ben Levy, Eliza Robinson(Pictured with John White) BERR Exo team posing with their Dynamically Loaded Resistive Arm Exo-skeleton prototype Overall, the event was a huge success. Congratulations to all the students, TAs, and faculty advisors on a year of hard work and dedication! Indoor GreenhouseKimberly Abbott (not pictured), Hailey Levanetz, Natasha Singh, Leah Uttley The TurbinatorsThomas Doughty, Noah Greenfeld, Reuben Merren, Garrison Peak Claw & OrderJacob Laing, Aurora Purper, Anna Thomley, Nick Zimmer Hand Sealer RedesignLindsey Hedtke, Riley Kane, Max Schneider,Leon Yap Badger UAS Mitigation SystemGabriel Bodoh, Aiden Brion, Gabriel Franchi,Brett Hauser, Daniel Mitchell Cubic GroupersWade Benedict, Zach Rusch, Luke Szopa, Nick Wendt Featured image: Badger Sniffers, the Hydrogen Automated Leak Detection team, posed with their professor and client Scott Sanders.