2022 Prize/Award Information

Back to 2022 Design Expo

Design teams will have a chance to win up to $10,000 CASH prizes with special awards including:

Multidisciplinary Design Award

The Multidisciplinary Design Award represents intentional multidisciplinary perspective taking for the purpose of developing a sound and fully integrated design solution.   Design teams exhibiting the best of Multidisciplinary Design will be able to elaborate upon how they have incorporated a wide-range of engineering discipline’s knowledge as well as expertise, knowledge and perspectives from professional domains outside of engineering, into their design research, processes, and solution finding. Areas of particular interest include:

  1. Technical integration of multiple disciplinary fields of practice.
  2. Socio-technical integration of perspectives crossing fields of practice (i.e. engineering vs. artistry vs. culture vs. policy, vs…)
  3. Stakeholder integration.
  4. Systems integration, including that of performance/safety standards beyond a single domain of engineering (i.e. durability and electrical, or sustainability and safety, or….).
  5. Multidisciplinary perspective integration, such that the team can elaborate on how this is demonstrated in the work and within the team.
  6. Design synthesis such that the idea, model, system, product or representation presented by the team embodies compromise and consideration of contradictory perspectives, in a way that seems elegant, novel and systematized seamlessly.

2022 GOLD Winner ($2,000)

  • Autonomous Home Gardening System

2022 SILVER Winners ($1,000 each)

  • Farm Arm
  • Vitamin Bee

People's Choice Award

The People's Choice Award is chosen by live popular vote of Expo attendees.  The top team receives $1,000.  

2022 Winner ($1,000)

  • Motorcycle Lifting Hitch Carrier

Purdue SWE Catalyst for Change Award

The Purdue SWE Catalyst for Change award seeks to recognize a senior design project that embodies the key elements of the Society of Women Engineers mission and core values. A key element in the SWE mission statement is to ‘expand the image of engineering and technology professions as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and demonstrating the value of diversity and inclusion.’ This award seeks to reward a project that leverages engineering and technology to further advance equity and inclusion in the world either through the impact of the project or as a foundational element of the project team.

Criteria for the award will be based upon the five SWE Core Values applied as follows:

  1. Inclusive Environment - 30%:  Impact to drive inclusivity and equity enabling others of all backgrounds to achieve their fullest potential by identification of a real-world problem and a solution that improves the quality of life.
  2. Professional Excellence - 30%:  Application of leading engineering and technology as part of the project outcomes.
  3. Mutual Support - 20%:  Ongoing engagement to support others allowing for growth and development. Engagement of others with different backgrounds and experiences in the development and success of the project.
  4. Integrity - 10%:  Demonstration of the highest level of ethical behavior and dignity.
  5. Trust - 10%:  Building mutual respect and confidence in the abilities of those with whom the project impacts as defined by the success of the project. Evidence of the impact of engineering to favorably impact the world and to deliver innovative solutions.

Purdue SWE will recognize two senior design projects as finalists that embody these principles with the top project receiving a $1000 award. Projects will be measured against the defined criteria and awarded by a cohort of SWE leadership.

2022 GOLD Award Winner ($1,000)

  • Addressing Sensory Overload Through Soft Robotics

2022 BLACK Award Winner ($1,000)

  • Pelican Deliveries: Taking Food Delivery Airborne

PESC Impact Awards

The PESC Impact Awards celebrate and acknowledge three senior design projects that show the potential for significant social, sustainable, or industry impact. There will be one recipient of each award, and each winner will receive $1000. Only one award can be earned per design submission. Projects will be evaluated by PESC Leadership and invited judges based on the following criteria.

Social Impact Award ($1,000)

2022 Winner:  Designing a Digital Solution to Track Payments to Smallholder Farmers in Africa

  1. Social Impact – How well does the project solve or improve upon a social problem, particularly those faced by marginalized populations; what is the project’s potential for significant impact.
  2. Globally Conscious – How well does the project take into consideration global issues & geopolitics with regard to materials, constructions, logistics, & other design elements.
  3. Innovation - New technology or unique application of existing technology in cohesive manner.
  4. Scalability – How well is the design able to be produced at a larger scale while maintaining quality and integrity; the ease of realization of the project’s goals and the realization efficiency.

Industry Impact Award ($1,000)

2022 Winner:  PUR-2 Pebble Bed Microreactor

  1. Industry Impact – How well is the business case for this project articulated, and how well does the project solve or improve upon the identified problem; what is the project’s potential for significant impact on the intended industry.
  2. Economic Viability – How well does the project or its management consider capital tradeoffs with quality of end product, sources for materials, aesthetics, and other business concerns.
  3. Innovation - New technology or unique application of existing technology in cohesive manner.
  4. Scalability – How well is the design able to be produced at a larger scale while maintaining quality and integrity; the ease of realization of the project’s goals and the realization efficiency.

Sustainability Impact Award ($1,000)

2022 Winner:  Access to Energy and Transportation for Small-Holder Farmers

  1. Climate impact – How well is the environmental/climate case for this project articulated, and how well does the project solve or improve upon the identified problem; what is the project’s potential for significant impact on the climate issues.
  2. Implementability – How well does the project or its management consider local, regional, and national environmental regulations and restrictions; how well does the project or its management anticipate up- and down-stream effects.
  3. Innovation - New technology or unique application of existing technology in cohesive manner.
  4. Scalability – How well is the design able to be produced at a larger scale while maintaining quality and integrity; the ease of realization of the project’s goals and the realization efficiency.

Outstanding Graduate Team Award

Awarded to the highest rated graduate student team. 

2022 Winner ($1,000)

  • Spare Parts Consolidation