Engineering Open House, First Since Pandemic, Draws 1,000 Curious Visitors

University News

Engineering Open House, First Since Pandemic, Draws 1,000 Curious Visitors

April 25, 2022 • By Mike Mather, mike.mather@virginia.edu Mike Mather, mike.mather@virginia.edu

Homa Alemzadeh, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, demonstrates robotic surgery technology in UVA Engineering’s Link Lab for cyber-physical systems. (Photos by Tom Cogill)

From a high-tech “dog” to a robotic surgeon, students, faculty and staff of the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science demonstrated to more than 1,000 visitors on Saturday what engineers – and particularly UVA engineers – do to make the world a better place. It was the school’s first in-person open house since the pandemic.

Prospective students learned about the school’s many engineering disciplines, and how to get admitted into the program. Engineering students and staff told visitors about the kinds of hands-on experiences the school offers – such as programming autonomous vehicles – and about the resources for student success, such as the Center for Diversity in Engineering and the Center for Engineering Career Development.

Faculty and students of the Charles L. Brown Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering wear T-shirts showing many ways electrical and computer engineers contribute to modern society.

Electrical and computer engineering student Kellan Delaney discusses how to build a robot that can play “Connect 4” with human opponents.

Prospective students had the opportunity to see the kinds of hands-on work they would be doing in the Engineering School’s different departments, including the Department of Materials Science.

Biomedical engineering student Caroline Davis demonstrates microscope techniques in the biomedical engineering Integrative Design & Experimental Analysis, or “IDEAS,” lab.

Systems engineering major Claire DeViney explains a floating hydroponic farm to open house visitors. The project’s goal is to develop sustainable agriculture options for farmers on small islands in developing countries.

Students from Nicola Bezzo’s lab take robotic “dog” SPOT for a walk on Engineer’s Way. Bezzo is an assistant professor of systems engineering, and electrical and computer engineering, and a member of UVA Engineering’s Link Lab for cyber-physical systems.