Western-CU Boulder Engineering Partnership (EPP)
March Newsletter
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In this newsletter
- Director's Update
- Engineering Expo - April 24
- Program Updates
- Upcoming Events
- Mountaineer Gives Day - March 4
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As Spring Break approaches, the “March to May” is in full swing! Following a Capstone Design project presentation to the Crested Butte Rotary Club, our Provuu capstone team had the exciting opportunity to showcase their innovative work at the Blister Labs Summit, presenting to a crowd of passionate snow sports enthusiasts.
Speaking of snow sports, one of our students, student AJ Maijala, is competing in the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) Nationals in Bend, OR. Stay tuned to our social channels for an update on this!
Last week, our MakerSpace transformed into an exploration hub as we welcomed nearly 100 fifth graders, sparking curiosity and hands-on learning.
After an insightful convocation presentation from wind energy technician Angie Lucht Director of Optimum Academy, we look forward to our next talk in March, featuring NREL’s Rois Langner, who will dive into the broader landscape of renewable energy as it applies to building science.
We invite you to join us for these talks and encourage you to reserve your spot for this year’s Engineering Expo, where you’ll have the chance to see our seniors’ design projects and discuss the bright future of the program.
-Kevin Terry, PhD
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Engineering Expo—Register Today! | |
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The Western-CU Boulder Engineering Partnership Program’s Engineering Expo (formerly Industry Night) is set for Thursday, April 24, from 5:30–7:30 PM. This event brings together business owners, engineers, alumni, and community members for an evening of connection and innovation.
This event is open to the public, and we encourage anyone interested in engineering, education, and innovation to attend. Help spread the word—we look forward to seeing you there!
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Capstone Team Provuu Showcases Innovation at Blister Summit
Western’s Capstone team, partnered with Gabriel Lobbi of Provuu, recently had the opportunity to present their prototype at the Blister Summit, sharing space with some of the top ski companies in the industry. Their augmented reality ski goggles use computer vision and prisms to enhance visibility in flat light conditions, where skiers are 3x more likely to get injured.
At the event, Provuu received valuable feedback from everyday skiers and even hosted an on-mountain demo, where a skier tested the goggles and enjoyed the enhanced visibility. The experience provided key insights into what users want, helping the team refine their design.
Stay tuned as they continue developing this innovative technology aimed at improving safety and performance on the mountain!
See more Capstone projects, like this, at Engineering Expo!
Provuu
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Mountaineers Without Borders Head to Belize!
This summer, Mountaineers Without Borders will travel to La Milpa, a Mayan ruin in northwest Belize, to design and build a pulley system that will help move excavation features on and off the site. Working alongside Western Anthropology Professor Dr. David Hyde, and EPP Professor, Julie Jarzemsky, students and faculty will bring their engineering skills to life in a real-world archaeological setting.
The team will be in Belize from May 25 – June 8, applying their problem-solving abilities to support ongoing research while gaining hands-on experience in global engineering and cultural preservation. Stay tuned for updates!
Donate to the Project Here
Select Mountaineers Without Borders from the drop-down list.
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Jack Wilson’s Handcrafted Harp
Jack Wilson, a sophomore from Colorado Springs and a TA in the MakerSpace, has been putting his woodworking and design skills to the test with a 16-string harp he’s building from scratch.
Using a laser engraver and router table, Jack is shaping the instrument from birch and maple. While he already plays guitar and piano, he’s looking forward to learning the harp once it’s tuned to A minor.
This isn’t a class project—just something he wanted to take on. He designed it in the fall and started building this spring in his free time.
See more student projects, like this, at Engineering Expo!
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Gunnison Middle Schoolers Explore Engineering at Rady
Last Thursday, 100 middle school students from Gunnison got a hands-on introduction to engineering and technology during their visit to the Rady Building. Divided into groups named after different dog breeds, the students kicked off their visit with a 30-minute presentation by Dr. Kim Fix from Western’s Math and Computer Science Department.
Afterward, they toured the MakerSpace and lab spaces, where Eric Ortolano, Charlie Schayer MakerSpace Managers, and our student MakerSpace TAs gave demonstrations and showcased the tools and technology available to students.
We’re looking forward to welcoming a group of 6th graders from Crested Butte this April for another exciting visit!
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3/4 | 12:30-1:45pm | Rois Langner: Innovating Energy Through Building Science Convocation | Rady 109
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3/6 | 5pm | SWE Meeting | Rady 109
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3/17-3/21 | Spring Break | No Classes
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4/10 | 12:30pm | Terumo BCT, Convocation Speakers | Rady 109
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4/24 | 5:30pm | Engineering Expo | Rady Building
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5/1 | 12:30pm-1:45pm | End of Semester Celebration | Rady Lobby
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Mountaineer Gives Day – March 4! | Join us for the first-ever Mountaineer Gives Day, celebrating 50 years of impact and looking ahead to the next 50! This 24-hour giving campaign is an opportunity for alumni, faculty, staff, and friends to support student success, hands-on learning, affordable education, and community wellness. | |
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