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California State University, Chico

Capstone Design Program

When Industry and Academia Team Up to Solve Problems, Powerful Things Happen

The Capstone Design Program at Chico State partners senior-level students with industry sponsors to design, build, and test solutions to real-world problems. For a modest fee, industry sponsors get ownership rights to a custom-built product or solution created through a collaboration with Chico State faculty and students.

Sponsors also get a chance to recruit talented students from three different areas of study: 

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechatronic Engineering
  • Advanced Manufacturing and Applied Robotics

The Capstone Design Program has provided an excellent return on investment to a long list of past sponsors and is currently looking for new sponsors to partner with for the upcoming Spring and Fall semesters. 

Project Examples

The scope and scale of projects is flexible and dependent upon the needs of project sponsors. No matter what industry you work in, there’s likely something worth pursuing via the Capstone Design Program. Here's a small sample of some past projects.

A student looks thoughtfully at the components of a Senior Capstone Project.

Senior Design Capstone Project Expo

Read an overview and watch videos of our student projects in action.

More Project Examples

  • Phase I of an Articulated Arm 6-Axis Robot

    Alleviate Labor-intensive loading/unloading process and provide 100% quality checking.

    Sponsored by Micro-Vu

  • Walnut Huller Brush Cutting and Bending Machine

    Top of the line equipment for walnut and pecan hulling, drying, and processing

    Sponsored by wizard manufacturing

  • Cold Storage for Small to Medium-Sized Ag Producers

    Reduce waste and cost of cold storage with the ability to scale based on volume.

    Sponsored by 3CORE

  • Drone Assisted Field Irrigation Remediation

    A solution for inefficient watering negatively impacting crop yields and causing irregularities in crop growth

    Sponsored by CSU Ag Research Institute

  • Rice Cake Waste Stream Optimization

    Design and fabricate an automated rice cake inspection device to reject defective product.

    Sponsored by Lundberg Family Farms

  • Automated Solar Panel Cleaning System

    Automated solar panel cleaning system to improve efficiency.

    Sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing

How does the capstone program work?

Program Timeline and Stages

  • Plan and Sign Agreements

    Project sponsors are recruited and project plans finalized twice each year prior to the start of classes in the fall and spring.

  • Form Teams and Design

    Project sponsors are recruited and project plans finalized twice each year prior to the start of classes in the fall and spring.

  • Build and Test

    Prototype construction and testing takes place during the second semester.

Culminating Event: The Biannual Capstone Design Expo

The College of ECC Design Expo at CSU, Chico gathers industry sponsors, faculty, students, and the public to review, discuss, and celebrate design solutions.

  • Wind turbo design

    Expo display of a wind turbine design entered in Collegiate Wind Competition.

  • Auto-Belay

    Students demonstrate their Auto-Belay at the Capstone Design Expo.

  • Nitinol Abrasion test

    A Nitinol Abrasion test Method Medtronic project being showed off.

Sponsor Signup Process

  1. Complete Sponsor Request
  2. Connect with a capstone faculty advisor.
  3. Sign a Sponsor Agreement.

How to Become a Sponsor

We can’t wait to meet you! Chico State is part of the California State University system and uses Cal State Apply for applications.

Make sure to select California State University, Chico as your campus of choice when applying. Registering and applying is quick and easy, so let’s get started!

Contact Us

Fall - Spring Sequence
Coordinated by Corey Cole
530-898-5097
ccole6@csuchico.edu   

Spring - Fall Sequence
Coordinated by Joshua Miranda
530-898-5660
jdmiranda@csuchico.edu

Forms

Sponsor Project Request Document

All projects begin with a Sponsor Project Request document, which is a two-page summary of the project generated by the sponsor. A Word template as well as past examples are provided below. To submit a project for consideration, download the template, complete the document, then email it to ccole6@csuchico.edu.

Sponsor Agreement

All sponsors are required to sign a sponsor agreement that covers ownership, intellectual property, indemnification, non-disclosure of confidential or proprietary information, etc. A sample sponsor agreement form is provided below.

Assignment of Ownership and Non-disclosure Agreement

If requested by the sponsor, students, faculty, and staff associated with the project will sign a standard assignment of ownership and non-disclosure agreement. A sample agreement form is provided below.

Sponsor Project Forms and Examples