University of Cincinnati

04/22/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/23/2025 07:24

Hands on learning comes to life at CEAS EXPO

Hands on learning comes to life at CEAS EXPO

Annual capstone showcase returns to campus

3 minute read April 22, 2025 Share on facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print StoryLike

Each year, the College of Engineering and Applied Science hosts the CEAS EXPO, a large-scale showcase event where graduating seniors present their final capstone projects to industry and alumni judges, family, friends, and fellow students. This year, the EXPO, presented by DRT Holdings, LLC, made a historic return to the University of Cincinnati campus at Fifth Third Arena.

The CEAS Expo is an excellent event for the graduating seniors in engineering and local industry

Rob Cohen CEO of DRT Holdings, LLC

The Bearcat and CEAS Dean John Weidner attend the CEAS Expo. Photo/Corrie Mayer/CEAS Marketing + Communications

"The CEAS Expo is an excellent event for the graduating seniors in engineering and local industry," said Rob Cohen, CEO of DRT Holdings. "It showcases their hard work on their senior projects while giving them exposure to local industry."

When a student decides to come to UC to study engineering or applied science, they are getting a unique experience. The cooperative education (co-op) program enables students to gain real-world work experience in engineering industry or in cutting-edge research labs with renowned faculty. Each semester, students alternate between classroom instruction and work experience, preparing them to start their careers upon graduation. Many students go on to work full-time for their co-op employers.

Taylor Morgan, CEAS '24, returned to the EXPO this year as a judge with her employer, Kaleidoscope Innovation, where she also spent time as a co-op student.

"It was truly great to see the CEAS EXPO on campus this year. As a recent alumna, I remember being in the students' shoes just a year ago and how much work goes into the final presentation at the EXPO. The students did a fantastic job this year," Morgan said.

Along with its return to campus, the 2025 EXPO marked the first year all undergraduate departments participated, as well as the first year there was an exclusive student presenter food sponsor: Cincinnati's own Skyline Chili!

Morgan was one of over 150 volunteer judges who came from industry, alumni, and the college to offer insight and feedback on these student projects. Projects ranged from adaptive skis, fire-fighting robots, student-built formula racecars, web-based applications like a smart parking system and a social media app for pets, exciting research surrounding net zero energy, soil sample analysis, and more.

Student groups were judged and awards were given out based on the four project categories: software, physical, poster board, and student organization. A crowd favorite project was also selected. Additionally, for the first time, the 1819 Innovation Hub presented five groups with the inaugural 1819 Innovation Awards.

Winning projects below:

2025 CEAS EXPO Winners
Place Category Project Name
1 Software Heavy Staple Press AutoPack
2 Software Tone.io
3 Software Needle Sorting Device
1 Physical Analog Synthesizer with Midi Control and Digital Effects
2 Physical Mockup of a Space Robotics Vehicle for Planar Air Building
3 Physical Smoothie Express
1 Poster Board Solar Decathalon: Multi-Family Building
2 Poster Board Clifton Ave. Pedestrian Bridge
3 Poster Board Comparative Analysis of Soil Amendments
1 Student Organization Aerospace Engineering Aircraft Design 2025 Regular and Micro Class
2 Student Organization Spacecraft Design-Queen City Rocketry
3 Student Organization UC Solar Car Mechanical Team
1 Crowd Favorite Automated Boat Awning and Cover

The crowd favorite project, automated boat awning and cover, was presented with an award from DRT Holdings, LLC's CEO, Rob Cohen. Photo/Corrie Mayer/CEAS Marketing + Communications

2025 1819 Innovation Awardees

  • CurvAlign Spine Magnetic Scoliosis Implant
  • Smoothie Express
  • Grip Strength Assistive Glove
  • CEAS Robotics Competition and Firefighting Rover
  • QL+ Lower-Limb Amputee Cooling Liner

Featured image at top: The CEAS EXPO was held at Fifth Third Arena. Photo/Corrie Mayer/CEAS Marketing + Communications

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