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Design Expo Showcases Student Work, Offers Recruitment Opportunities

Senior Allison Bedell presents her portfolio at the Segal Design Institute's first annual Design ExpoTim Lawler knows that after four years studying engineering and design, landing his dream job in aerospace product design might all come down to one thing: his portfolio. So as he prepared to present his work on Friday at the Segal Design Institute’s Design Expo, Lawler was eager for feedback.

“This is great practice for my interviews,” said Lawler, a senior dual major in mechanical engineering and Manufacturing and Design Engineering.

Lawler is one of dozens of McCormick undergraduate and graduate students who participated in the Design Expo, held March 9 and 10 in the Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center.

For students who don’t yet have plans for after graduation, the expo provided an opportunity to meet with representatives from some top Chicago-area companies, including IA Collaborative, DiMonte Group, Procter & Gamble, and the Product Development and Management Association.

Students participating on Friday came from various Segal programs, including the BS degree in Manufacturing and Design Engineering, Certificate in Engineering Design, and the MS degree in Engineering Design & Innovation.

On Saturday, projects were presented by freshmen in Engineering Design and Communication (EDC), a course sequence in which students use human-centered design to create products to help individuals with disabilities. EDC projects included a chin control for power wheelchair users; a meal tray designed for people with hemiparesis, or paralysis on one side of their bodies; and a treadmill designed for wheelchair athletes.

The Design Expo expands on a previous event, the Segal Project & Portfolio Fair, a one-day event that was limited to students in two courses.