Industry-sponsored Educational Opportunities

Practical experience is crucial in training engineers to tackle real problems with real-world constraints and parameters. At Penn State, students gain this experience by working closely with sponsoring companies to solve challenging problems working in multidisciplinary design teams using the College’s extensive fabrication, testing, and rapid prototyping facilities.

Hands-on problem solving teaches students to apply technical knowledge and can prepare them for engineering careers by exposing them to the technical demands, potential pitfalls, and professional expectations of practicing engineers.

You can help students learn about the real world, by sponsoring the following types of projects:

First-Year Projects

First-year projects are sponsored through the School of Engineering Design and Innovation (SEDI) and offer hands-on engineering design to first-year students and early interaction with future employees for companies. For more information about sponsoring first-year design projects, visit the program website or contact Sven Bilén, head of SEDI, at sbilen@psu.edu or 814-863-1526.

Senior-Year Capstone Design Projects

Senior-year capstone design projects offer students the opportunity to get involved in sophisticated engineering design challenges. Participating companies reap benefits as well, building relationships with students and getting new ideas for real design problems. For more information about sponsoring a capstone design project, visit The Learning Factory website or contact Matthew Parkinson, director of The Learning Factory, at mbp11@psu.edu or 814-863-9079.