Northrop Grumman Engineering and Science Student Design Showcase Set for April 9

MELBOURNE, FLA.—Continuing an annual tradition, Florida Institute
of Technology College of Engineering and College of Science students will display their finished design projects on Friday, April 9, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than 100 projects will make up the Northrop Grumman Engineering & Science Student Design Showcase at the Charles and Ruth Clemente Center. The community is invited to browse the student work.

For more than four decades, Florida Tech engineering and science students have been required to complete a hands-on, detailed senior project before graduation. Last year, a generous $1 million endowment gift from Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) provided continuing support for the students’ work. Also, Northrop Grumman officials will present a special “Best in Show” prize.

This year’s engineering projects include a formula car, a blended wing body remote-controlled aircraft, an intelligent ground vehicle robot, an airplane tanker lighting design, a solid state Tesla coil and a game programmed for the Xbox. From the Department of Marine and Environmental Systems, students will exhibit posters to display their research in such areas as shellfish recruitment, dune reinforcement, shoreline restoration, thunderstorm formation, atmospheric pollution and satellite oceanography.

Science projects include several starfish studies including research into starfish fertilization and enzyme regulation; a study of transient luminous events, which are large electrical discharges of air occurring in a planetary upper atmosphere; and a project on the observation of terrestrial gamma ray flashes from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope.

The student project simulates a real-world work environment and hands-on research to challenge students in a variety of areas. Students apply theory, think creatively and develop practical skills, such as teamwork, professionalism and leadership.

The local high school science fair projects of those who won scholarships to Florida Tech will also be on display.

The Clemente Center is located on University Boulevard near the corner of Babcock Street. For more information, call (321) 674-8020.