Months of research, planning, design and construction by engineering undergraduates came together Thursday, as they showed off their senior year projects at the annual Engineering Design Showcase in the ARC Pavilion.

Students mingled with friends, faculty, researchers and industry engineers who were appraising their work with a professional eye at the public event.

"These students and aspiring professionals have endured hours of drafting, modeling, prototyping, testing and analysis to complete these projects, on top of an already rigorous curriculum," says Jean-Pierre Delplanque, the College of Engineering's associate dean for undergraduate studies. "The College of Engineering is pleased to share the outstanding achievements of our talented students."

As part of their coursework, seniors in the UC Davis College of Engineering work in teams to complete a major project in their area of study. The design showcase event, now in its third year, is an opportunity for the teams to show their work to the public.

Projects and inventions that were on show included: 

• A biodegradable esophageal stent for use in children 
• A robot to assist in strawberry harvesting 
• A collapsible, mobile dog kennel that makes it easier for VA hospitals to accommodate patients who bring their dogs to appointments
• Fuel-efficient aircraft designs
• Environmental sustainability projects based on proposed housing developments in the City of Davis
• A "Google Glass" application that helps in diagnosis of sepsis, a leading cause of death in intensive care units

Representatives from a number of companies attended the event as judges. This year's showcase has been supported by donations from a number of companies, including Aerojet, Agilent Technologies, Banks Integration Group, Chevron, SMUD, and Union Pacific, as well as individual contributions.