University of the Sunshine Coast Engineering students will be presenting innovative solutions to real-world problems at the Final-Year Engineering Project Poster Evening today (Tuesday 4 August).

The posters detail the progress at the halfway mark of thesis projects, which range from combating erosion to dealing with flooding and reducing pollution.

Senior Lecturer in Engineering Dr Richard White said three students would give presentations of their projects, including Elice Freshwater, who is taking on the problem of erosion on forestry roads.

“Forestry roads are generally just dirt tracks, and vehicles form ruts as they move along, leading to erosion,” Dr White said.

“Not only does this undermine trees, it also means that a lot of sediment ends up in nearby creeks and streams, so those become polluted.

“Elice’s project is looking at how to minimise that pollution.”

Media are invited to attend the poster evening, which will begin at 6.30pm at USC’s Engineering Collaboration Studio in Building H.
 
Held on the USC campus for the first time, the Poster Evening will be attended by invited industry guests who have sponsored students’ projects.

Dr White said by working on real-world engineering issues, the students were making an impact in the industry before they had graduated.

“The quality of these would fit into an international conference’s poster session,” he said. “By and large, these projects are very practical.

“We encourage our students to work with outside organisations so they’re solving actual problems that these groups are dealing with.”

— Gen Kennedy