MESA Engineering Program/Chico STEM Connections Collaborative

CSC² Engineering

The CSC² Engineering program offers participating engineering, computer science, and construction management students a variety of services to assist them with navigating college life and engineering courses.

Services include academic assistance, paid summer undergraduate research opportunities, professional development, employment opportunities, financial aid and scholarship application assistance, peer mentoring, as well as access to the CSC² Engineering Student Study Center. 

Study Center: Students are provided on-going support through the CSC2 Engineering Student Study Center which has several amenities including a computer lab, study space, lockers, comfortable seating, and space to prepare food with a microwave, sink, refrigerator, and coffee maker.

Advising and Academic Assistance: CSC² Engineering offers advising, tutoring, study groups, individualized support, and supplemental instruction. For more information about academic assistance, contact the CSC² Engineering Program Coordinator. For more information visit the Student Learning Center Supplemental Instruction webpage.

Professional Development and Employment Opportunities: The program helps students develop their professional skills by offering assistance with cover letters, resumes, interviews, and internship and job search assistance. Students are also offered career advising, faculty mentoring, financial support for travel to professional conferences, and networking opportunities. Paid employment opportunities are also available, including tutoring, student assistant, and peer mentoring positions within CSC2.

Financial Aid and Scholarship Application Assistance: Assistance for applying for financial aid and scholarships is also available. Several scholarships will be awarded each year by the CSC² Engineering program to qualified engineering, computer science, and construction management students. The amounts will be in the range of $500–$2,500 per year, depending on available funding. For more information, please visit CSC² Engineering Program Scholarships.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program: CSC2 Engineering offers several summer undergraduate research (UGR) opportunities. The UGR opportunities are available to CSC2 students who have reached the second semester of their sophomore year. Students will receive hands-on experience with a research topic in their field of study, learn to balance collaborative and individual work, determine an area of interest, and jump-start their careers as researchers.

Through exposure to research as undergraduates, many students discover their passion for research and continue on to graduate studies and faculty positions. Students receive a stipend of $4,500 for participating in the UGR summer program. For more information contact the CSC² Engineering Program Coordinator.

Aerodynamics of Airfoils and Wind Tunnel Characterization

Due to the popularity and success of the Collegiate Wind Competition, an interdisciplinary student competition, research assistants helped contribute to research aimed at testing various airfoil designs in the wind tunnel. Students used Solid Works to modify existing airfoil designs, print airfoils using 3-D printer technology, install printed blades on a rotor, and test and collect data from the wind tunnel using existing data acquisition hardware and software. Data will be used to validate mathematical models and students can help support the data reduction and analysis.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. David Alexander

Students: Edgar Leon and Armando Lopez

Effects of Drinking Water Treatment Residuals on Nitrogen Mineralization in Agricultural Soils

Drinking water treatment uses coagulation to remove suspended particles and dissolved organic matter from surface water. The removal process creates a large waste stream known as drinking water treatment residuals (WTRs). Unlike wastewater sludge, the WTRs are non-hazardous and have been demonstrated to be effective at retaining nutrients in soils, particularly phosphorous. Currently, there is little information available about the effects of residuals on nitrogen cycling in amended soil. This project will exam the effects of water treatment residuals on nitrogen cycling by measuring nitrate release from amended soils.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jack Webster, Department of Civil Engineering

Students: Jonathan Campos and Uriel Dominguez

 Effect of Mechanical Vibrations on Oryza Sativa Germination

This unique project has brought together students from the College of Agriculture and the College of Engineering to collaborate and explore the feasibility of using mechanical vibrations to increase the germination rate of rice seed. If germination can be accelerated it could lead to increased productivity, cost efficiency, and higher profits for rice farmers. “We can work together to make the world a better place. We can be more innovative and more impactful in the world” states Melinda Gonzales, an agriculture student working on the project.

Faculty Mentors: Dr. Dennis O'Connor and Dr. Garrett Liles

Students: Andres A. Duran, Melinda L. Gonzales, Melissa V. Renteria-Santana, Josue D. Viveros-Martir, Jackelin A. Villegas, Frederick G. Hamblin III

Two ECC students work on an electronic micro mouse

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