On Hen r y Ma l l
Engineers of Ingenuities In their capstone practicum, biological systems engineering students offer solutions to real-world problems A bioreactor that removes phosphorus from lakes, an easy-to-use harness system designed to prevent falls from dangerous heights, and an early detection sensor for toxic nitrogen dioxide gas in vertical silos. Three very different design projects, three potential responses to real-world issues. And all of them were developed by CALS students as part of their capstone practicum in biological systems engineering (BSE). A requirement for all BSE majors, the design practicum is comprised of two courses that meet during two consecutive semesters. The most recent practicum finished in fall 2018.
A digitally rendered image of a solar-powered bioreactor designed to remove phosphorus from lakes. The 7-by-12-foot system takes in water as it floats on the surface of the lake. The water is pumped to the top of the bioreactor and then flows through a series of containers filled with switchgrass, alfalfa, and duckweed. The plants strip some of the phosphorus from the water before it is further filtered through a series of alum-filled trays and then released back into the lake.
In the first semester of each practicum, students form teams focused on a particular problem. Together, they study the problem, review past efforts to solve it (including any existing patents), and improve their understanding of safety standards. During the second semester, the teams put their research to use designing products that provide practical solutions. “Businesses, faculty, and [Division of] Extension colleagues submit suggestions for problems that are in need of an engineering-based solution,” says John
8
grow
SPRING 2019
Shutske, professor of biological systems engineering and an agricultural safety extension specialist. “The solutions are developed by BSE students. The work they do in these courses mirrors what they would do in an engineering design business.” Design teams are self-directed but meet regularly throughout the practicum with a faculty advisor. The teams set their schedules and assign tasks as they would in a typical workplace. “This class is the closest you’re going to get to a real-world experience while still in school,” says Xavier Santana BSx’19. He’s part of a five-person team that developed a phosphorousremoving bioreactor to help clean up the Yahara River Watershed. “Just like a real-world project, we can’t just go out and make stuff — there’s research about the project that needs to be done, including learning what’s already out there and what’s already been tried.” One of Santana’s project teammates, Jacob Olson BS’18, notes that “research also includes finding out what materials and design elements are readily available so parts don’t have to be custommade, which helps to keep costs down.” He also emphasizes the importance of reviewing safety standards in designing a product to ensure that “everything is up to code and even overdesigned to withstand whatever comes its way.” Santana and Olson’s team knew they needed to create a system that is both easy to maintain and more cost effective than a water treatment plant. Faculty advisor Rebecca Larson, associate professor of biological systems engineering and extension biowaste specialist, says this project also provides students with opportunities to learn how to engage others in science-based conversations about a policy topic. “Improving surface water quality includes discussing issues related to excess nutrients, how those enter the water system, and how to design technologies that are cost effective and sustainable,” says Larson. “These discussions can include a multitude
