MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Dozens of Middle Tennessee State University Engineering Technology and Mechatronics Engineering students wrapped up their spring semester with a highly energized event showing off their team and individual creativity.

“Automatic Shoelace Tightener,” a “Doodle Sphere” — a device placing custom designs on ping pong balls and baseballs, student-built submersible vehicles and more were displayed.

It’s the biannual Mech-Tech MTSU Engineering and Technology Student Project Expo, held in the Miller Education Center’s second-floor atrium in late April.

Always a highlight event for seniors graduating in May, August or December, Mech-Tech is the engineering and technology student project expo full of an assortment of gadgets and gizmos. Undergraduate students also participated this spring.

“It was probably one of the best Mech-Tech’s we’ve had,” said Ken Currie, Engineering Technology Departmentchair. “We had a lot of great projects. Our students have started to up their game, which is encouraging and good for our engineering partners. They’re going to get some good engineers and technologists.”

John Rozell, director of research/development laboratories for the department, said each team member “brings their own skill set to create the project that works the way it should or solves a problem.”

Rozell said two teams tackling projects received industry support in the form of conveyer belts from Assurant in La Vergne.

The department, which is awaiting its new $74.8 million, 90,000-square-foot Applied Engineering Building scheduled to open on the east side of campus by the start of the fall 2025 semester, presented awards for the Mech-Tech projects and named outstanding students.

For more information, call 615-898-2776 or visit https://mtsu.edu/et/index.php.

Outstanding students

Mechatronics Engineering — Mario DeAnda.

Mechanical Engineering — Zach Staton.

Electrical Engineering — Gibson Young.

Computer Engineering Technology — Phillip Wright.

Graduate — Ghada Assai.

Mech-Tech Awards

Mechatronics Engineering

First place: “Ocean Gate But Better” — Roger Fallon, Josh Gensmer, Herndon Means, Reece Arnold and Marcus Worrell.

Second place: “Bare Budget Engineering/P.A.R.T.S.” — Matthew Crist, Eli Nevill, Zachary Staton, Nick Welch, Micah Pendergrass, Nolan Paladino and Camden Whitehead.

Third place: “Odysseus” — Matthew O’Hair, Jack Lockett, Christopher Bishop, Robert Jablonda and Fra’ol Wordoffa.

Engineering Technology

First place: “Parking Space Detector” — Gibson Young.

Second Place: “Miniature Wind Charger” — Marshonn Calvin and Federico Comaschi.

Third place: “Soft ExoSkeleton” — Lucas Silva.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)