A total of 16 awards were given to teams of upper-year students based on their presentations at Capstone Day, an annual showcase hosted by the York Capstone Network (YCN) and the Lassonde School of Engineering.
Capstone Day offers upper-year students the chance to share capstone and pre-capstone projects focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to fellow students, faculty members and off-campus project partners.
“This exciting event serves as the culmination of their capstone projects, as well as their degree and university experience. It is also a pan-campus, community-building event, as it brings together hundreds of students, professors, and their on/off-campus partners into one virtual space, within which we can connect, share ideas, and imagine new ways to create impact on our world together,” Danielle Robinson, co-founder and co-lead of the University’s Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom (C4), has said of the occasion.
This year’s Capstone Day saw more than 200 members of the York community and external visitors learn about the work of 517 presenting students focused on real world issues and creating positive change. The projects collectively represent innovative and sustainable design solutions, the addressing of societal issues, advancement of SDGs or creation of long-term positive change. That is especially true for the award winners, determined by a committee of 20 judges.
For example, the winners of the Tech Stewardship Prize – awarded to the work with the greatest commercial potential – went to a team project called KROP Vision, an indoor farming system meant to promote sustainable agriculture and reduce crops losses.
Another team, which received York’s Office of Sustainability SDG Award, developed a curriculum made up of four lessons that target various facets of sustainability to support creating a culture of sustainability among York’s residences.
“Through our meetings with senior residence staff, we learned that within the residence education plan, there’s little to no emphasis on sustainability,” said Ravi Mahadeo, a biology student and team member of Sustainable 7. “We believed that building that culture of sustainability through education would be effective.
“Our goal was to educate students in these areas, all while equipping them with the knowledge to act more sustainability in their everyday lives.”
Faculty members can learn more about capstone courses, C4, the Project Commons and implementing experiential education into their classrooms by connecting with members of the York Capstone Network.
The full list of awards and project titles are:
- Engineering Capstone Prize: “Smart Nordic Walk” by ENG Team 21 – The Pole Walkers
- Honorable Mention: “Drone Range Extension (D.R.E.)” by Team 36a – Aerial-Electro-Claw
- CIVL GeoSolv Innovation & Sustainability Award: “Timber Pedestrian Bridge” by Team 7 – Sapling Solutions
- CSCE – CSCE National Capstone Design Competition Nominee: “Integrated Water Systems Design at Downsview Taxiway West District” by Team 2 – IRD Engineering
- CIVL: Student Choice Award: “Integrated Water Systems Design at Downsview Taxiway West District” by Team 2 – IRD Engineering
- Technology Impact Award (BEST Lab): “Modular Smart Home” by ENG Team 38 – Modular Smart Home
- Technology Impact Award (BEST Program for C4): “Nordic Walking Poles” by Team BE
- Office of Alumni Engagement, Alumni EDI Award: “DiaSol” by Team CA
- Office of Alumni Engagement, Alumni Engagement Award: “Sustainable 7” by Team AF
- YSPACE General Innovation Award: “Building Cents” led by Munzungu Nzeyedio, Team BC
- YSPACE Black Entrepreneurship Alliance Award: “Financial Education” led by Bobby Lewis, Team BI
- C4 Community Impact Award (Positive Change Initiative): “ECO6IX” by Team Cj and “YU Waste” by Team AD
- C4 Pivot Award: “The Pivoteers” by Team BB and “DiaSol” by Team CA
- C4 Partner Choice Award: “RydUp” by Team AB
For more on these projects, the winners and other C4 information, contact with the York Capstone Network at ycn@yorku.ca.