Communication Mechanics Episode 5: Communicating Senior Design Projects - Lessons from Capstone Winners with Mechkiwis, Part 1

In Part 1 of the final episode of Season 1 of the podcast, Dr. Jill Fennell speaks to three members of the team that won in the category of Best Mechanical Engineering Project at the Spring 2024 Capstone Engineering Expo, the Mechkiwis. Seniors Isabelle Gustafson, Miguel Daly, and Sana Hafeez share the experience they and their fellow teammates - Claudia Vitale, Lena Moller, and Maxwell Gart - had creating communication materials for their project and designing a successful expo presentation. 

Part 2 will be posted next week on Monday, November 11th.

Shownotes and Timestamps

• 01:08 Episode Introduction and Guest Introduction
• 03:30 Capstone project introduction
• 05:10 Working on a Medical Project in an Engineering Context
• 07:25 Adjusting to different communication demands for the project
• 10:35 Team distribution of audience analysis and communication choices
• 13:27  Communication challenges in different parts of the project
• 18:25  Introduction to The Expo Judging Rubric
• 19:22 Team’s consultation of Judging Rubric and Expo preparations
• 26:57 First category: the Problem the team is solving
• 32:54 Second category: Solution to the problem
• 41:37 Usage of cadaver photos during the Expo and how to show them appropriately