April 27, 2026

Engineering seniors save coral reefs, launch rockets and design AI hospital supply rooms

• What: College of Engineering Craig M. Berge Design Day
• When: Monday, May 4, 1-5 p.m.
• Where: Student Union Memorial Center Grand Ballroom and University of Arizona Mall

TUCSON, Ariz. — University of Arizona engineering seniors have spent the last year collaborating on capstone design projects for industry and university sponsors. On May 4, 88 student teams will present their projects and compete for $53,500 in prizes at Craig M. Berge Design Day.

Design Day is open to the public beginning at 1 p.m. on May 4. The awards ceremony – in which students receive cash prizes from award sponsors, including a $7,500 grand prize – is from 4-5 p.m.

Many student teams are available for interviews at Design Day, including groups working on:

• An artificial intelligence-powered hospital supply closet that helps nurses quickly find tools to improve patient care
• A sensory-safe nail clipping device for children with sensory processing disorders such as autism
• An underwater ARK that promotes coral reef growth in the Biosphere 2 ocean
• A 3D-printed leaf chamber that measures carbon for climate change research
• A hypersonic rocket that flies five to eight times the speed of sound

A full list of projects is available in the Design Day booklet.

Design Day is the culminating event of the Craig M. Berge Design Program, which engages undergraduate students in hands-on design projects throughout their undergraduate careers. The Berge family funded the program in honor of Craig, a College of Engineering alumnus who died in 2017.

###

Media contact:
Alexandra Pere
College of Engineering
504-214-9459
alexandrapere@arizona.edu

Established in 1885, the University of Arizona is the state's flagship, land-grant institution. The U of A ranks among America's top institutions, focusing on student access and success while driving a $1 billion research enterprise and engaging communities throughout the state, nation and world. As a leading Research 1 institution and member of the Association of American Universities, the U of A advances the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships. With two accredited medical schools, designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, recognition as a premier university for service members, distinguished programs in management information systems, planetary sciences, dance, photography, and public and applied humanities, the U of A offers the world to its students while uplifting Arizona.