Student Organizations

Design Teams

Aerobrick and Advanced Modeling Aeronautics Team (AMAT)

Aerobrick and AMAT are two separate teams that apply different design philosophies to the same competition. Students design and build heavy-lift radio-controlled airplanes. Each year these two teams compete in the International SAE Aero Design West competition. The goal of the competition is to lift the most weight given constraints of wingspan, engine size, and required take off distance.

Aerobrick faculty advisor:
Nesrin Sarigul-Klijn nsarigulklijn@ucdavis.edu

AMAT faculty advisor:
Valeria La Saponara vlasaponara@ucdavis.edu
Steve Robinson stephen.k.robinson@ucdavis.edu

Baja SAE

Baja SAE is a college based team competition in which schools from all over the country compete against each other in off-road style racecars designed and built completely by students.

Faculty advisor:
Steve Velinksy savelinsky@ucdavis.edu

Chemical (Chem-E) Car

The Chemical Car Challenge is a competition between universities, sponsored by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. The objective is for students to design and construct a small chemical powered model car with a chemical energy source that will carry a specified load over a given distance and stop. The load and distance is unknown ahead of time, and is given to the teams at the time of the event.

Faculty advisor:
Tonya Kuhl tlkuhl@ucdavis.edu

Concrete Canoe

The National Concrete Canoe Competition is sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The goals of the competition are to provide civil engineering students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience and to promote an awareness of the versatility and durability of concrete as a construction material. Students make a canoe out of concrete, and then race the canoe over a specified course.

Faculty advisor:
Dawn Cheng dawcheng@ucdavis.edu

Eclipse Rocketry

Eclipse Rocketry members design, build and launch rockets on the field south of The Pavilion. They also have a long-term design project/competition using Hybrid L-motors with possible field trips to LUNAR in Livermore for High-Powered launches.

Faculty advisor:
Nesrin Sarigul-Klijn nsarigulklijn@ucdavis.edu

Environmental Project

The Environmental Engineering Project is an inter-collegiate challenge sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The competition requires students to design and construct a water treatment system that will contain, treat, and discharge a sample of water contaminated with organic and inorganic matter.

Faculty advisor:
Thomas Young, tyoung@ucdavis.edu

Geowall

GeoWall is a student run design competition in which a model retaining wall is fabricated using paper sheets. This wall is designed to hold back a series of different loading scenarios. Throughout the year, students will learn and apply important concepts from Soil Mechanics and Earthquake Engineering while gaining valuable hands on experience. The project culminates in a national competition hosted by the Geo-Institute, the Geotechnical Engineering branch of ASCE, where we compete with other top-ranked universities.

Faculty advisor:
Bruce Kutter blkutter@ucdavis.edu

Human Powered Vehicle

The Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) Team designs an aerodynamic and highly-engineered land vehicle. They participate in an annual national competition which provides an excellent opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world applications.

Faculty advisor:
Mike Hill mrhill@ucdavis.edu

Hybrid Electric Vehicle

The Hybrid Electric Vehicle team designs, builds and races high-performance, plug-in hybrid vehicles. Students learn hands-on skills and realistic use of technology to build a vehicle that could potentially be sold to a manufacturing firm. Students organize, finance and manage every aspect that is required to build an entirely new vehicle.

Faculty advisor:
Jae Wan Park jwpark@ucdavis.edu

Hyerloop Pod Team (One Loop)

The Hyperloop Pod Team competes in SpaceX’s annual Hyperloop Pod Competition, where students are tasked with designing and building a half scale pod with the aim of racing it on SpaceX’s mile long track in Hawthorne CA, and in the bigger picture, helping to develop a new form of transportation.

Faculty advisor:
C.P. van Dam, ucdhyperloopteam@gmail.com

People, Prosperity, and the Planet (P3): A National Student Design Competition

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sponsors a competition among universities proposing to research, develop, and design solutions to real world challenges involving the overall sustainability of human society. The competition highlights the use of scientific principles in creating innovative projects focused on sustainability.

Faculty advisor:
Frank Loge fjloge@ucdavis.edu

Solar Boat Team

Professor Jason Moore, Faculty Advisor
Professor Alexander Forrest, Faculty Advisor

Email: ucdsolarboat@gmail.com

The Solar Boat Team was developed to bring engineering students of various fields together to apply engineering principles in designing, building, and testing a solar-powered boat. The organization provides a hands-on opportunity for students to gain familiarity with computer aided designs, fabrication, and teamwork. By the end of the academic year, the team participates in the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s (SMUD) Solar Regatta, where the team competes with other colleges across the state.

Solar Car at UC Davis (Solarri)

Professor Valeria La Saponara, Co-Faculty Advisor
Professor Chris Nitta, Co-Faculty Advisor

The Solar Car at UC Davis Team, is a non-profit student-run organization that designs, builds, tests, and races road-legal solar vehicles. It provides hands-on opportunities for students to create complex systems as well as become exposed to project management and real-world engineering. The goal is to compete in the American Solar Challenge/Formula Sun Grand Prix.

Steel Bridge

The National Student Steel Bridge Competition is co-sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction and the American Society of Civil Engineers. Students design and build a scaled-down steel bridge to specifications. The bridge is designed to carry a specified load, and is judged on speed of assembly, strength, lightness, design, appearance, and efficiency.

Faculty advisor:
Dawn Cheng dawcheng@ucdavis.edu

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Organizations

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE)

This student branch exists to promote professional relationships for students; familiarize students with technical interests and developments; and provide a basis for professional aspirations and transition from academic to professional careers.

Society of Biological Engineers (SOBE)

SOBE introduces students to the opportunities within Biological & Agricultural Engineering.

Biomedical Engineering Organizations

Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)

The BMES student chapter introduces students to the profession, social role, and obligations of a biomedical engineer.

Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Organizations

American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

AIChE introduces chemical engineering students to the professional world while acting as a social focal point to increase cooperation and communication between students and faculty.

International Society of Life Sciences & Engineering (ISPE)

The UC Davis chapter of ISPE caters to all majors with an emphasis on the life science industry.

Material Advantage Student Chapter (MASC)

The Material Advantage Student Chapter is a all-accepting student club based in the major of Materials Science and Engineering. We seek to promote the growth of interactions between students and professionals, to celebrate the benefits of collaboration in engineering, and to enliven student’s interest in the subject matter through discussion and utilization.

Civil and Environmental Engineering Organizations

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

The student chapter of the ASCE serves as a connection between the civil engineering student and the profession.

Chi Epsilon

Civil Engineering honor society.

Institute of Transportation Engineers

ITE at UC Davis provides our aspiring transportation professionals with exposure to transportation projects, people, and important topics via guest speakers, company or site visits, and conferences. We also hold social events for our members.

Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC)

This organization supplements academic education with an exposure to real-world engineering practice while providing a connection between students and professionals.

Computer Science Organizations

Computer Science Club

The Davis Computer Science Club (DCSC) organizes and connects UC Davis students interested in the field of computer science. We cultivate the professional development of our members, connect them with other fellow passionate students, and present new opportunities to apply computer science in novel ways.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Organizations

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

IEEE is an international organization that allows electrical and electronics engineers to express their ideas while maintaining contact with new developments.

Engineering Honor Society

Tau Beta Pi

Tau Beta Pi is the national engineering honor society for students in the top eighth of their junior class or the top fifth of their senior class.

Engineering fraternity and other organizations

Theta Tau

As the only Professional Engineering Fraternity on campus, the Theta Tau Omicron Gamma Chapter is dedicated to professionalism, brother/sisterhood, and academic excellence.

Engineers Without Borders

A non-profit student organization established to help developing areas worldwide with their engineering needs, while involving and training internationally responsible engineering students.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Organizations

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

The AIAA is an interdisciplinary organization made up of people interested in the aeronautics and aerospace field.

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)

Through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

The ASME student chapter advances and disseminates knowledge about mechanical engineering, presents a proper perspective on engineering work, and promotes professional awareness and fellowship.

Robotics Club

A Student Club that designs and builds autonomous robots with the goal of entering them into The SAE Walking Machine Challenge. Contact Professor Nesrin Sarigul-Klijn for more information.

Rocket Club

Club that designs, builds, and launches rockets on-campus and for national competitions. Contact Professor Nesrin Sarigul-Klijn for more information.

Space and Satellite Systems Club (SSS)

The SSS club hosts the CubeSat Systems Competition, which calls for teams to design and manufacture a system for a hypothetical CubeSat mission. Each year focuses on a different aspect of space system design, from attitude control to data acquisition systems to long-range communication. For more information, visit our website at sss.engr.ucdavis.edu.

Faculty advisors:

Stephen Robinson stephen.k.robinson@ucdavis.edu

Sanjay Joshi ctljoshi@ucdavis.edu

Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)

Women in Science & Engineering (WISE) is a developing program that establishes engineering and sciences as a place for women to reach their goals.