Florida Tech’s Class of 2025 is graduating with the drive to build a better world around us, researching everything from solutions to Earth’s soil degradation to improvements in propulsion technology that could offer lower-cost space access.
These projects were just two of the award winners in the 17th annual Northrop Grumman Engineering & Science Student Design Showcase held Friday and Saturday.
The showcase featured more than 100 projects, highlighting students’ research, problem solving, data analysis and teamwork. Each project demonstrated the value of hands-on learning – a core component of a Florida Tech education.
“This is a real hallmark of Florida Tech. Our students engage in project-based learning,” Florida Tech Provost John Kiss said at the showcase awards ceremony Friday. “The Northrop Grumman Student Design Showcase really embodies the essence of Florida Tech’s educational initiative.”
Northrop Grumman has supported Florida Tech’s design showcase since 2009, when the company provided a $1 million endowment gift for the annual event. Every year, the company’s leaders and employees – many of whom are also alumni – volunteer to judge the projects, joining dozens of other industry representatives in generously sharing their time and expertise.
“Seeing the amount of effort and passion that these students put in and the excitement that they have, there is such a positive sense of energy here,” said David Iodice ’81 B.S. ’81 B.S. ’83 M.B.A. ’85 M.S. ‘89 M.S. ’93 Ph.D., enterprise open architecture chief engineer and Northrop Grumman Fellow 2. “We look forward to it every year, and the quality of the students and their solutions to problems is just phenomenal.”
The following projects were recognized by judges:
President’s Cup
Engineering: “Project Vulcan,” Micéle Leita, Joshua Spectre, Timur Bedelbaev, Braden Hartlieb, Matthew Poirier, Jorge Sanchez, Abigail Smith, Cam’Ron Valliere, Victor Z (Aerospace Engineering)
Science: “A Guide to Florida Tech’s Greenspace,” Paolo Soto (Environmental Sciences and Sustainability)
Northrop Grumman Best in Show
Engineering: “Demonstrator for Autonomous Rapid Transport (DART),” Luke Aagaard, Kian Jamal, Brett Lougheed, Jack O’Hara, Zuleyka Priscila Figueroa Pineda, Jack Smith, Rylen Struthers, Nathan Tardy, McKennah Vale, Johann Vennink (Aerospace Engineering)
Science: “Biochar Remediation of Regolith Leachate,” Mia Markiet (Environmental Sciences and Sustainability)
Honors College Best in Show
Engineering: “Tomographic Medical Image Reconstruction with Deep Learning,” Chris Hinton, Asher Burrell, Thomas Mercer (Computer Science and Software Engineering)
Science: “Regolith Conditioning by Carnivorous Plants,” Emily Soucy (Astrobiology)
Psychology: “Bug brains: Are discoid cockroach (Blaberus discoidalis) substrate preferences fixed or plastic?” Lauren Lewis (Non-COES Majors)
Best in Show Category Winners
Aerospace Engineering: “SLOSH: System for Liquid Orbital Supply and Handling,” Andrew Dean, Danielle Garceau, Joshua Grady, Beck Kerridge, Brendan Smucker, Riley Wagner, Colin Zelasko
Astrobiology: “P.E.A.N.U.T.S.: Promoting Extraterrestrial Agriculture through Novel Utilization Techniques for Sustainability,” Trenton Causey
Biological Sciences: “Neurodevelopmental defects in a tauopathy model are affected by the microtubule stabilizer PTRN-1,” Katrina Diel
Biomedical Engineering: “SmartStride,” Alec Anzalone, Kiera Ceely, Cianna Grummer, Bela Perdomo, Caleb Phillips
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering: “Recycling of Flexible Polyurethane Foams Using Glycolysis,” Sarah Pezzenti, Tyler D’Amato, Susan Nelson, Antonella Merola
Civil Engineering and Construction Management: “Project B.E. D.R.I.P.,” Gabriel Kuntz, Lindsey Shapiro, Callie Siering, Elijah Doan, Parker Hathaway, Marguerite Fidd, Elizabeth Arrajj
Computer Science and Software Engineering: “Web Application for Aqualab Sensor Monitoring and Analysis,” Greg Thompson, Ruth Garcia, Haley Hamilton
Electrical and Computer Engineering: “AARTS,” Cade Miles, Jackson Jurevich, Benjamin Stompor, Colton McReynolds
Environmental Sciences and Sustainability: “Biochar Remediation of Regolith Leachate,” Mia Markiet
Mathematical Sciences: “Finite Element Spaces of Double Forms”
Marine Sciences: “Effect of Artificial Lights on IRL Algal Communities,” Julia Lonks
Mechanical Engineering: “Waterjet Abrasive Removal System (WARS),” Justin Sarnowski, Kenneth Speth, Gabriella Cadolino, Colin Foley, Luca Garratt, Caleb Koogler, Trevor Robbins
Meteorology: “Investigating a Concentrated Tornado Outbreak in Southeastern Florida Preceding Hurricane Ian’s Direct Impact,” Mia Dorval
Ocean Engineering: “TEC-V ROV,” Stephen Coster, Henry Hill, Gabor Papp, Michael Dowling
Physics: “Investigating the Relationship Between White Dwarfs and the Milky Way’s Spiral Structure,” Shailyn Negron
Space Sciences: “Habitable Zones Surrounding Active Galactic Nuclei,” Emily Lohmann
View the full photo gallery here.
