Engineering Design Showcase
June 4, 2026 at 1-4 p.m., University Credit Union Center
The Engineering Design Showcase is the culminating experience for graduating seniors. A senior design experience is required for all students in an engineering major. Teams complete a capstone project in which they design and prototype a product, device, process or software system. This event brings together project teams from all eight departments for an opportunity to share student designs with the public.
The 2026 showcase will be hosted in person on June 4, 2026, from 1-4 p.m. in the University Credit Union Center, and is open to all members of the public. Industry partners and alumni are invited to attend and serve as evaluators. Evaluators provide expert feedback to student teams on their exhibits and project demonstrations.
Questions? Please contact [email protected].
For Evaluators
We invite industry partners and UC Davis College of Engineering alumni who would like to see first-hand the work of our students to join us as evaluators. As part of your attendance, you will be asked to provide specific feedback to a small number of teams on their communication skills, design process, demo, prototype and more. We hope to provide students with an opportunity to practice “pitching” their ideas in a setting similar to what they will find during their careers.
If you'd like to register as an evaluator, please email [email protected].
Evaluator Expectations and FAQs
As an evaluator, you will be asked to provide specific feedback to a small number of teams. We appreciate the time and effort evaluators will share with our budding engineers.
- Will I be assigned teams to evaluate?
- Yes. Evaluators will be assigned teams to review. In making assignments, we will do our best to accommodate evaluators’ preferred area(s) of focus.
- Can I check out other teams that I’ve not been assigned to?
- Yes! Evaluators are encouraged to review other teams’ materials once their assigned evaluations are complete.
- Is there an online/virtual version of the showcase?
- No. Evaluators attend in person and interact live with the teams from 1-4 p.m. at the UC Davis University Credit Union Center.
- What am I required to bring?
- Evaluations for the Engineering Design Showcase will be done via online form, so evaluators should bring a smart device to the event for real-time submissions or take notes with the intention of completing the form later.
For Students
Participation Eligibility
Engineering students enrolled in a senior design course or participating in a design project or team are eligible to participate in this event. Poster presentation is required for participation. Students will work with their course instructors or faculty advisors to determine their presentation requirements. The College of Engineering will cover the cost of one poster printing per participating team, provided materials are submitted by the specified deadline.
Registration
Registration will open in early March, and students will receive official correspondence and instructions from the College’s Design Showcase team. Only one person from each design team should complete the registration form. This individual will serve as the team’s point of contact for future correspondence and will be responsible for material submissions.
Sandia Engineering Design Award at UC Davis
The showcase is not a competition. There is, however, an embedded competition for the Sandia Engineering Design Award at UC Davis. This is only applicable to projects that fall within the award specifications. Visit the Sandia website for resources, including information slides and grading criteria.
Resources
Please see this repository for support in writing an abstract and designing your poster for the Engineering Design Showcase.