Austin Peay hosts second annual Innovation Experience showcasing student projects, industry partnerships
(Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2023)
On Friday, April 21st, Austin Peay State University held its second annual Innovation Experience showcase. The event showcased innovative projects and research from students in the College of STEM, done in partnership with industry sponsors.
Dakota Price and Kyle Minich, with guidance from Dr. Russ Longhurst, a professor in the Department of Physics, Engineering, and Astronomy, took first place for their project aimed at reducing the replacement time for steel rollers at Novelis. The project received praise from Novelis for providing a solution to a real-world problem.
“It was an iterative process to get to this, communicating back and forth. This was a little daunting at first,” Price said. “It was different than working from a book; there were a lot of interlocking parts we had to consider. But we hope they integrate our solution. We’ve conducted a lot of research to prove that it's a viable setup.”
Kayode Ogunsusi won second place for his project with Dr. Ramanjit Sahi, a professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, which focused on reducing carbon emissions related to supply chain problems. The project used automation processes to help stakeholders concentrate on data analysis and decision-making.
Anna Sheets, Drew McIllwain, and Lillie Johnson took third place for their project with Longhurst and Novelis, which aimed to improve the filter-cleaning process at the company, extending filter life and increasing employee safety.
“The Innovation Experience is a great opportunity for our students to showcase their creativity and innovative ideas, while also developing important skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, and communication,” said Dr. Karen Meisch, dean of the College of STEM. “We are grateful for our industry partners who support and collaborate with our students, providing them with valuable real-world experience and helping to prepare them for successful careers in STEM fields.”
At the event, the College of STEM and Austin Peay recognized Trane for its significant contributions to APSU students over many years, presenting the Innovation Experience Business Collaborator Award to the company. Trane was awarded for providing scholarships to a wide range of STEM and non-STEM students through its Austin Peay support group, as well as actively participating in advisory boards to enhance the student and academic experience at Austin Peay.
The annual Innovation Experience showcase at APSU allows students to exhibit their work to the public and prospective employers, as well as enabling industry partners to recruit talented students for their organizations.
This year’s sponsors were CDE Lightband, Electrolux, Trane, EnSafe and Novelis.
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