Engineering ingenuity can come with a flash of inspiration, but more often innovation comes on the heels of rigorous research and refinement. That takes money, which for engineering students, is all too often in short supply. Fortunately for students at Harvey Mudd College, there is a way to launch their good ideas.
A good idea is a starting point, but the development of good ideas into good products and processes is what’s needed for successful commercialization. Grant writing is time-consuming and competitive, but it’s an important part of funding new and innovative ideas. Engineering students should be encouraged to pursue it, then, and that’s exactly what the Shanahan Student-Directed Project Fund
Established by Harvey Mudd trustee R. Michael Shanahan and his wife, Mary, the fund is designated to aid students pursue “dream” projects. Students must first have meritorious idea and then be able to communicate its potential in a written proposal.
The proposal must give specific details on the work, including a timeline of the project and a budget estimate. Clear objectives and milestones must be indicated as well to assess the success of the work. With only one academic year to complete the work, the time frame is tight, but that’s what they can expect from projects after graduation, so it’s good preparation in that respect as well.
The student teams pursue the funding solely out of interest. There’s no academic credit involved, only a sense of personal drive. As described by Jeffrey Groves, vice president and R. Michael Shanahan Dean of the Faculty, “The Shanahan Fund encourages creativity and self-motivation among our students, and I’m always amazed to see the quality and variety of the proposals they submit.”
The 2014-2015 funding cycle has garnered a diverse representation of projects. The projects include an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which eliminates the need for remote control during take-off and landing, a large cloud chamber for studying charged particles released during subatomic processes, which will double as artwork on campus, and a project on improving the oxidizer plumbing system design in a hybrid rocket motor, which is being refunded after successfully applying last year.
Educators know the importance of students being engaged and self-motivated. Funding projects that students pursue out of a passion for design and creativity is an excellent way to build skills in a context which mirrors future pursuits for funding and meeting project.