Clarkson University

A team of four Clarkson University mechanical engineering students has achieved an extraordinary feat by placing second in the prestigious Walt Disney Imagineering Imaginations Design Competition.

Clarkson University's Baja SAE Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design (SPEED) Team is proud to announce an exciting collaboration with Teknic, a US-based brushless servo motor manufacturer. As part of a senior Capstone project, a team of engineering students is developing a Shock Dynamometer, a crucial piece of testing equipment that will benefit not only the Baja team, but also the electric and internal combustion Formula SAE student teams at Clarkson.

The Clarkson Construction Engineering Management (CEM) Program Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design (SPEED) teams brought home four, top-3 wins across three categories in the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 1 Competition at the Hilton Albany Downtown from Thursday, Nov. 14 through Saturday, Nov. 16. Given less than 24 hours to prepare a full proposal/bid on a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued on the morning of competition for their category, student teams prepare project plans, schedule of construction, estimated costs and materials, subcontractor lists, and make a proposal presentation. Clarkson University was the only school, among the 15 assembled, to compete in three categories and place in every one of them. Engineering and Management major Alexandria Celia '25 led the team in the pre-construction category, placing second among a field of seven. Team members included Engineering and Management major Erik Andersen '26, Engineering and Management major Sebastien Carroll '25, Supply Chain Management major Samuel Larter '27, Civil Engineering major Michael Moriarty '25, and Engineering and Management major Apirith Sothea '25. Civil Engineering major Zakary Eshelman '27 led the heavy-civil team to a third-place finish in a field of seven teams. Their project focused on a complicated multi-span two-mile bridge project in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This team included Civil Engineering major Paige Cutler '25, Civil Engineering major Tanner Jennings '27, Civil Engineering major Ajay Johnson '25, Civil Engineering major Ryan Lynch '27, and Engineering and Management major Jacob Morrill '28. Finally, in the open concrete category, Clarkson sent one team but landed with two teams that placed in the category. The core team led by Engineering and Management major Zalen Aqueron '25, had one of its members reassigned to another team at the outset, in a challenge unique to the nature of the category being "open" to all sorts of variety. Originally this team consisted of Aqueron along with Engineering and Management major Michael Delwiche '26, Mechanical Engineering major Alexander Kaczynski '26, Civil Engineering major Jevon Malcolm '25, Engineering and Management major Liam Quick '27 and Dinesh Ravindran. This team took third place, competing against the team from Norwich University and a team made-up, on-the-fly, combining two New York University (NYU) students and one student each from the previously formed Clarkson and Norwich teams. In a demonstration of how Clarkson University's culture of teamwork is infectious, Dinesh Ravindran, an exchange student to Clarkson from the Technological University of Denmark (DTU), led them to a second place finish, beating his own former teammates. This resulted in Clarkson yielding a place award in its own right, as well as a joint award with NYU and Norwich. The teams were supported by three coaches, Adjunct Instructor Randy VanBrocklin '90, Adjunct Instructor Nick Sheehan, and Industry Volunteer Grace Girard '24. "Clarkson's award winning construction program continues to perform at the top of the Northeast Region of the United States," said Associated Schools of Construction Region 1 Director, Erik Backus. "It's significant that these student teams all performed in the top 3 of their given category, that is a level of excellence that is rare at regional competition." For more information about Clarkson's CEM Program, click here.

Clarkson University's Baja SAE Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design (SPEED) team showcased its creativity and engineering skills on Saturday, Sept. 28, placing first in the Baja Cross competition and fourth overall. OktoBAJAfest is an exhibition race, hosted by Clarkson University and organized by Clarkson Baja Alumni, for student-built vehicles conforming to the rules of the Mini Baja series. Events like OktoBAJAfest provide invaluable hands-on learning experiences, allowing students to apply their classroom knowledge in real-world scenarios. These opportunities foster teamwork, problem-solving, and innovation - skills that are essential for their future careers. This event invites student Baja teams from across the U.S. and Canada to travel to Colton, NY to Clarkson's Seven Springs, an 85 acre property formerly used as a downhill and cross country ski location from 1974 to 1990. The property has a 250' vertical drop and is home to miles of mountain biking and Baja trails. This festival includes five separate events including short track, Baja cross (suspension and maneuverability), hill climb, technical inspection, and a final endurance race.

Clarkson University student teams participate in various college engineering design competitions through the University's SPEED (Students Projects for Engineering Experience and Design) Program. These competitions provide hands-on learning experiences, allowing students to apply their engineering knowledge in real-world scenarios while fostering teamwork, innovation, and problem-solving skills. Through the SPEED Program, Clarkson students continue to demonstrate their engineering expertise and commitment to excellence in design and innovation. The SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge is an engineering design competition that pushes students to reengineer snowmobiles to reduce emissions and noise without sacrificing performance. Competing snowmobiles are tested in various categories such as emissions, noise, fuel economy, endurance, acceleration, handling, cold start, and design. The goal is to create an environmentally friendly snowmobile suitable for use in sensitive areas like National Parks. These redesigned snowmobiles must be quiet, emit fewer unburned hydrocarbons, be cost-effective, and provide a comfortable ride, all while primarily functioning as touring snowmobiles on groomed trails. While modern snowmobiles already meet noise and emission standards, the challenge encourages teams to implement innovative solutions that further enhance performance. There are two categories in the Internal Combustion classification-gasoline and diesel. For the past eight years, the Clarkson team competed in the diesel category, achieving great success. However, with SAE's decision to eliminate the diesel class in 2025, the Clarkson team has transitioned back to the gasoline division and entered the newly established hybrid category. During the 2024 spring semester, the competition returned to the Keweenaw Research Center at Michigan Tech. Clarkson's team placed 8th overall, with notable finishes in the Technical Presentation (4th), Objective Handling (5th), and Noise (5th) categories. Pictured Left to right: Ben Larivee, Henry Swift, Nick Marsh, Brandon O'Neill, Patrick McCabe, Jessie Kavanagh, Josh Segal, Tucker Gabriel, Jeff Hansen, Mike Hewey, Eric Wirger, Zachary Lutzke

The Clarkson University Baja SAE team, now in its 46th year, had a remarkable 2024 season, competing in one SAE event and two non-SAE competitions. The team participated in races held in Williamsport, PA, Quebec City, QC, and their home event, the "OktoBAJAfest" at Clarkson's Seven Springs, organized by Clarkson Baja alumni. Baja SAE challenges students with real-world engineering design projects. Teams design and build off-road vehicles capable of withstanding tough terrain, water, and mud. The competition simulates the process of introducing a new product to the consumer industrial market, requiring students to manage every aspect-from design and manufacturing to promotion and financial support. In May 2024, Clarkson's Baja team entered the Baja SAE Pennsylvania race with a newly redesigned 4WD system, finishing 27th overall out of 107 teams. The team achieved a 21st place finish in the Hill Climb and 19th in the Suspension event. Earlier in February, at the EDN race in Quebec City hosted by Laval University, they finished 10th overall, with standout performances including 4th in Suspension and 8th in Acceleration. Then at the 2023 OktoBAJAfest, the team ran two cars, placing 3rd and 4th overall, with top finishes in the Hill Climb (1st and 2nd), Endurance (2nd), and Baja Cross (2nd). The team consists of 25-30 students from a variety of majors, demonstrating the collaborative and interdisciplinary spirit that defines the Clarkson Baja SAE team. In picture Left to right and front to back: Ryan Truscott, Aspen Tripp, Lucas Ricci, Will Schlosser, Elijah Greenberg, RJ Jacobson, Clay Reagon, James Keach, Akari Harada, Luke Owens (driver), Jacob Cassi, Eli Thetford, Kaitlinn Campana, Taylor Clayton, Damon Brownell, Colin Harrison, Clark White, and Tristian Adrian

KLAW Industries, a business owned by two Clarkson seniors and one Binghamton University student, is focused on recycling glass into a product used in concrete manufacturing, has won the grand prizes from two national competitions in two days! On Wednesday, they won $40,000 by taking first place in Texas Christian University's International Values and Ventures Competition, and Thursday, they took first place and brought home another $10,000 by winning the University of Georgia-Athens Next Top Entrepreneur Competition. KLAW Industries turns recycled glass into a pozzolan that is used in concrete manufacturing. The company is co-owned by Jack Lamuraglia '21, an electrical engineering major, Tanner Wallis '21, a mechanical engineering major and Jacob Kumpon, a junior at Binghamton University. The TCU competition was a two-month endeavor, where over 1000 participants from 264 teams that spanned 28 states, 11 countries, and four continents participated and showcased their for-profit ventures that aim to make the world a better place. The UGA Next Top Entrepreneur Virtual Pitch Competition invites student startups from all over the country to pitch their existing business plans or ideas to a live audience and a panel of judges. The teams were evaluated on their business model, the validity of their idea, and their ability to execute. KLAW Industries submitted their product called Pantheon for the contests, which can be used to replace 30% of cement in concrete. This makes the concrete 11% stronger, more chemically resistant, and very sustainable. Using five tons of Pantheon in concrete has the same CO2 savings as taking a car off the road for a year. To learn more about KLAW Industries, visit klawindustries.com. If you are in a field that this technology could be applicable and would like to speak to these students, please reach out to Jack Lamuraglia at Jack@KLAWIndustries.com.

A team of three Clarkson University Bass anglers claimed victory in a first-of-its-kind collegiate bass fishing tournament hosted by the University at Buffalo in Sodus Bay on Lake Ontario. David Crandall '20, Nate Perrotta '20, and Dante Piriano '21 took first place in the University at Buffalo 2019 College Open, while a second Clarkson team comprised of Hunter Stone '21 and Jarrett Phinney '22 finished seventh in the competition.

The Clarkson University Chem-E-Car Team took first place in the first-ever virtual Northeast Regional AIChE Chem-E-Car Competition on October 4. This is Clarkson's second first-place win in three years. The event took place during the annual AIChE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers) Eckhardt Northeast Regional Student Conference, which was also held virtually from Northeastern University. The Clarkson team now qualifies for November's virtual AIChE National Chem-E-Car Competition, consisting of the winners of the Western, Mid-America, Pacific Northwest and Northeast regions.

Four Clarkson undergraduate students presented results of their research at Mathfest, the national flagship conference of Mathematical Association of America (MAA), held in Cincinnati, OH from Jul 31 to Aug 3, 2019. These students were among 15 students, majoring in mathematical and engineering disciplines, that participated in the pilot offering of the Mathematical Consulting class (STAT488), taught by Dr. Marko Budisic, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, in Spring 2019. This class is a part of a nation-wide MAA program, Preparation for Industrial Careers in Mathematics (PICMath) that aims to connect students in mathematical sciences with industrial partners in order to enable students to work on real industry problem, and highlight the range of careers in business, industry, and government that have a need for hiring students with majors and minors in mathematical sciences.

Clarkson University student teams came home with four first-place, four second-place, and two third-place awards at the 2014 North Country Regional Business Plan Competition.

The Clarkson University Chem-E Car team recently competed at the 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Northeast Student Regional Conference, where they qualified for the national competition.

Competing against more than 430 business teams from 60 colleges and universities across New York state, Innovative Delivery Systems (IDS) took first place in the products/services category and won $10,000 cash and professional services valued at $5,000. IDS created "OrdrIT," a Web application, which allows spectators to access a stadium's concession menus and order food from their seats without missing the action. The company, which began in a first-year business class in fall 2011, has earned

Clarkson University student-run business Renoun Ski Company won the "People's Choice" award at the fourth annual New York State Business Plan Competition held at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering of the University at Albany. Renoun is designing a ski to adapt instantly to snow conditions using a patent-pending technology and principals of aircraft design.

A team of three Clarkson University students recently traveled to Japan to compete in the Japan Society for Precision Engineering's sixth annual International Micro-Mechanism Contest on March 13, with support from Kyutech students and faculty. The following local students participated on the team:

The Golden Knight Battalion Ranger Challenge Team from Clarkson University's Army ROTC finished in second place out of 44 teams in this year's competition held at Fort Dix, N.J., in early October. The following students represented Clarkson University in the competition:

An integrated design team from the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering at Clarkson University won second place in the second annual Undergraduate Design Project Competition in Rehabilitation and Assistive Devices for their project "Design of a Multi-Function Walker/Cane for Enhanced Assistive Function." The following students participated in the Competition:

Late last semester, eleven Clarkson University students on the Construction Engineering & Management SPEED (Student Projects for Engineering Experience & Design) team competed in the 22nd annual Student Competition for the Associated Schools of Construction Region 1 in Morristown, N.J. Two teams traveled to the competition -- one to compete in the Commercial Building competition, and the other to compete in the Heavy Civil competition. The two-day competition involved planning, estimating, and presenting on a complex construction project. The Commercial Building Team worked on the development of a multi-story adult nursing facility. The Heavy Civil Team completed a project involving environmental improvements to a shipping lane canal in the Louisiana Bayou. The following students competed in the competition:

A team of students from Clarkson University received first place in the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute "Greening Your Campus" student competition. The goal of the students' project, "Dormitory Motion Sensor Lighting," was to reduce lighting use in residence hall corridors by using motion sensors. They projected energy and cost savings to be around $600,000 per year with a three- to five-year payback on the investment. Electrical and computer engineering Professor Thomas Ortmeyer served as faculty/staff advisor. The following local students represented Clarkson University in the competition:

With a little over a month to go in the Adirondack Cup competition, the small cap investment portfolio managed by Clarkson University students surged into second place this past week with a 28 percent rate of return since October 17, 2011, on a hypothetical million dollar fund. Clarkson, which is fielding a team comprised of undergraduate and graduate business students, is among 18 schools which began the Cup challenge in October. The following local students are representing Clarkson University in the competition:

A team of nine undergraduate and graduate business students from Clarkson University has taken fourth place in the first Adirondack Cup Investment Competition, in which college teams competed against each other over six months to build and grow a small cap portfolio of stocks. The following local students represented Clarkson University in the competition:

A team of Clarkson University Army ROTC cadets recently won the Regional Ranger Challenge competition at Camp Smith, N.Y. The following students represented Clarkson University in the competition:

A visionary approach to space exploration led a joint team of Clarkson University and Uruguayan students to place third in a recent competition sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The following students represented Clarkson University in the competition:

The Clarkson University chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization (CEO) took first place this spring at the first CEO Startup Simulation Challenge Competition. The following students represented Clarkson University in the competition: