Overview of Process:
Before considering a senior project with Dr. Coburn, be sure you understand the basic objectives and process for performing senior projecs as detailed on webpage... Senior Projects at CPP.
Once this is understood, read the following carefully.
Coburn's Approach & Methodology to Senior Projects:
My objective in advising senior projects is to unleash students to apply their own initiative, sense-of-responsibility, and ownership to complete the project of their choice.
This means I will provide a ideas and feedback for your consideration, but the topic, schedule, performance, and follow-through is completely in student hands.
This means your project is your own responsibility. You need to keep yourself and your team moving. You need to communicate with me as needed. You need to arrange enrollment in EGR4810, EGR4820 & EGR4830 yourself without reminders from me. You need to solve your own problems. You need to finish the project yourself.
My grade will assess your capability to complete the project, to communicate it effectively, and to do it well.
If you prefer more guidance and to have the advising professor more active in managing your project, then it is best to seek another professor whose approach is more suited to your capability and interest.
What is Expected:
I expect 3 basic items for design & build projects:
- Built Product - Whatever it is you've designed, analyzed and built will be presented to me and demonstrated in person or through video.
- Engineering Report - The report provides documentation of your work. It should start with your objectives, discuss challenges, successes & failures, document the engineering idealizations, assumptions, and analysis supporting your design, and provide a self evaluation of success.
- Powerpoint Presentation - In additon to seeing your built project and submitting your Engineering Report, your Powerpoint presentation will be used to communicate your work to me. It should be clear, concise, and inspirational. It should be between 20 minutes and one hour long, as needed to communicate efficiently and effectively.
Getting Started:
Students who understand the foregoing and would like Dr Coburn to advise their project must get approval by first filling out the following Senior Project Request Form, agreeing to its terms, and submitting it as indicated to Dr. Coburn.
Good Luck!