Capstone project team Solar Forge – Decarbonization of Melting/Recycling metal and Glass, winners of the sustainability category for the 2025 ENGR 499 Capstone Project Competition.
In an airplane hangar surrounded by WWII fighter jets and army helicopters, a life-sized, white robotic hand with what appears to be a computer chip on its finger juts out from a four-foot vertical metal beam, shaking uncontrollably. A group of people gather around, fascinated, as five engineering students explain how they designed and built a device that can monitor hand tremors in people with Parkinson’s disease.
This isn’t a glimpse into a classified defense prototype or a Silicon Valley tech reveal – it’s one of the 55 projects on display at the ENGR 499: Engineering Capstone Design Project Showcase & Competition at the KF Aerospace venue. This required course marks the culmination of every UBCO Bachelor of Applied Science student’s academic journey. But more than just a final assignment, Capstone is where theory collides with real-world expectations. Students don’t just apply what they’ve learned-they experience the full complexity of real-world engineering, from navigating ambiguous client needs to balancing technical constraints with user requirements.
Meet the Course and Instructors
ENGR 499, the Capstone course at UBCO, is a final-year design course required for all engineering students. It marks the magnum opus of students’ undergraduate education-challenging them to apply everything they’ve learned to solve real-world problems. It serves not just as an academic requirement but as a comprehensive test of professional readiness.
“Capstone is the first time many students realize that technical knowledge alone isn’t enough,” says Dr. Kenneth Chau, an associate professor in Electrical Engineering at UBCO and Capstone instructor for the past 5 years. “They’re suddenly working with clients, navigating team dynamics, and facing the kinds of ambiguity they’ll see every day in industry. “
Each year, approximately 350 students work on about 60 projects, ranging from medical devices and environmental solutions to aerospace technologies. Roughly 75% of these projects are industry-sponsored, 15% are submitted by faculty members, and about 10% are entrepreneurial ventures proposed by students themselves. When teaching Capstone, Dr. Chau adds, “The mindset I bring to the classroom is that we’re not just here to teach; we’re here to engage with society in ways that matter. If we don’t, we risk becoming irrelevant to the people we’re meant to serve.”
From collaborative industry engagements to the high-risk, high-reward nature of student entrepreneurship, Capstone offers a true blend of academic rigor, real-world complexity, and professional exposure.
Evolution of Capstone
Capstone at UBCO has evolved dramatically over time. “In the past, Capstone was primarily viewed as a technical challenge provided by an industry partner,” explains Dr. Chau. “But now, it’s about building meaningful relationships with stakeholders and engaging more deeply with the broader context of each project.”
This year, a new team selection process was introduced that includes a survey asking students to list people they do or do not want to work with, preferred projects, grade expectations, and their individual aptitudes, personalities, and working styles. An algorithm uses that data to form balanced teams.
“We’ve worked hard to mirror what real-world engineering looks like. Deliverables are now more structured, allowing for better engagement with external clients, and we’ve introduced peer evaluation mechanics to foster accountability among students. Peer scores directly affect individual grades, which encourages team members to hold each other accountable to a higher standard,” says Dr. Chau.
We’ve worked hard to mirror what real-world engineering looks like. Deliverables are now more structured, allowing for better engagement with external clients, and we’ve introduced peer evaluation mechanics to foster accountability among students.
Students now navigate a dynamic environment where timelines, budget constraints, and stakeholder expectations must be managed with professionalism. This mirrors industry expectations and fosters the soft skills necessary for career success.
Dr. Alon Eisenstein, an Assistant Professor of Teaching in Technology Entrepreneurship and Professional Development at UBCO, has been teaching ENGR 499 alongside Dr. Chau for the past two years. He echoes this sentiment: “It’s not just about increasing the level of industry involvement-it’s also about improving the quality of that involvement,” he notes. “We’re moving toward making student-faculty-industry interactions a required deliverable, ensuring that students are consistently engaging in meaningful dialogue throughout the project lifecycle.”
“Capstone projects are rarely confined to a single discipline. That’s intentional – real industry problems are inherently multidisciplinary. Success depends on how well students communicate, identify roles, and hold each other accountable,” Dr. Chau adds.
The goal is simple: to better prepare students for the professional world by simulating it as closely as possible within the Capstone structure, turning a final project into a transformative professional experience.
Capstone project team Targeting and Tracking System for Stratospheric Laser Links at various stages of development throughout their project. They designed a tracking system for stratospheric laser links.
Interdisciplinary Approach
UBCO’s Capstone is intentionally multidisciplinary-an approach that remains rare among Canadian engineering programs and increasingly vital as engineering becomes ever more collaborative.
“One of the strengths of our School of Engineering is that our students are trained to work across disciplines. Capstone reinforces that-it’s baked into the experience,” says Dr. Chau. “I often hear from industry that our alumni make excellent project managers because they’re used to collaborating with people from different backgrounds.”
One of the strengths of our School of Engineering is that our students are trained to work across disciplines. Capstone reinforces that-it’s baked into the experience.
In Capstone, engineering students from multiple disciplines work together in the same group, mirroring how real-world engineering projects unfold. Students learn firsthand how to leverage diverse expertise—and how to navigate the inevitable challenges of interdisciplinary communication and teamwork.
By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, UBCO is preparing its graduates not just to succeed within their own specializations, but to lead diverse teams solving the complex problems of tomorrow.
Entrepreneurship in Engineering
Students are also encouraged to think like entrepreneurs-to go beyond building functional products and start thinking about scalability, marketability, and user-centric design.
“The entrepreneurial mindset isn’t about being broad or narrow—it’s about being user-focused and context-driven,” explains Dr. Eisenstein. “In Capstone, students have limited time-about seven months-and limited access to real users. So, I ask them: what solution can you design that’s broadly applicable and still effective? A Bachelor’s education trains generalists. A PhD creates specialists. The world needs both. But entrepreneurship lives in that space where solutions have to be good enough for many, rather than perfect for a few. That’s the kind of thinking we try to foster in Capstone. “
Whereas the School of Engineering typically provides $500 for each Capstone project, entrepreneurial teams can access up to $2,500 in funding through the CEWIL (Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning) Canada’s iHub program with support by e@UBCO program, which provides not only mentorship and modules on impact but also clients and additional funding. That extra support is essential since these groups often lack the external funding that industry-sponsored projects benefit from.
“We’re especially committed to supporting student-led teams by ensuring they have mentorship and financial resources. For instance, last year’s winning team was student-led -they succeeded despite having no external sponsor, and that speaks volumes about the support system we’re building,” says Dr. Chau. “The students who thrive are those who understand how business works – how value is created and how to align engineering decisions with business goals. For some, that comes naturally. For others, Capstone is their first opportunity to develop that mindset.”
Real-World Readiness
Students quickly discover that real-world engineering demands more than technical know-how. Project management, client communication, teamwork, adaptability, and self-regulation are equally vital skills that can’t be developed overnight.
“Industry is becoming increasingly impatient with recent graduates, expecting them to be more ‘ready’ upon graduation-even though what ‘ready’ means can vary from one company to another. Students are expected to have basic technical skills like calculus and SolidWorks, but professional self-regulation is even more critical,” says Dr. Eisenstein. “It’s about having the initiative to learn, identifying gaps in knowledge, and building trust within a team rather than working in isolation.”
It’s about having the initiative to learn, identifying gaps in knowledge, and building trust within a team rather than working in isolation.
Both Dr. Chau and Dr. Eisenstein emphasize the importance of trust within teams. “The more trust there is within a team or organization, the more people are willing to engage in dialogue,” adds Dr. Eisenstein. “You’re more likely to admit what you don’t know, and others are more likely to support you when you do.”
Dr. Chau also says, “Effective teams often establish clear roles early, including someone dedicated to client communication. Poor-performing teams, on the other hand, tend to struggle with trust, commitment, and communication. We’ve found that traits like accountability and openness to conflict resolution are what really distinguish the high-functioning groups.”
Dr. Chau also highlights the growing importance of systems thinking-the ability to understand how different parts of a complex project interconnect and affect one another. “Breaking complex problems into subsystems and understanding how everything connects is key, especially in multidisciplinary environments,” he says.
Soft skills are no longer optional; they are central to engineering success, and Capstone ensures that students graduate with the technical mastery, professionalism, and interpersonal abilities needed to thrive as engineers.
Capstone project team Invasive Mussel Eradication: A Modular Solution (in no particular order): Rex Armor, Nathan Parmar, Pia Brar, Ben Neufeld, Tristan Simmons, and Usman Chughtai, who designed a portable system to eliminate invasive mussels.
Capstone’s Broader Impact
Both instructors see Capstone as a model for revamping engineering education at UBCO, where project-based learning can play a more significant role across all year levels.
“Capstone is essential for building professional identity and confidence-it’s the bridge between student and engineer,” Dr. Eisenstein reflects. “It’s where students truly begin to see themselves as professionals.”
Capstone is essential for building professional identity and confidence-it’s the bridge between student and engineer. It’s where students truly begin to see themselves as professionals.
“Ideally, by the time students reach Capstone, they’re already thinking this way-understanding the importance of external stakeholders, standards, and real-world constraints,” adds Dr. Chau. “We want to embed this mindset earlier in the curriculum as well. I’ve always seen academia and entrepreneurship as two sides of the same coin. When you engage with your community sincerely, they become your allies. They want to support you in solving real problems, and they become ambassadors for your work. “
Where To Next?
Ultimately, Capstone isn’t just the end of students’ undergraduate journey-it’s a launchpad into real-world engineering careers.
“The transition from school to work is a leap of faith for both students and employers,” says Dr. Eisenstein. “Companies don’t just hire based on technical expertise-they seek individuals who bring value, adaptability, and the self-awareness to grow in a professional environment.”
The transition from school to work is a leap of faith for both students and employers. Companies don’t just hire based on technical expertise-they seek individuals who bring value, adaptability, and the self-awareness to grow in a professional environment.
By weaving together technical expertise, entrepreneurial thinking, collaboration, and professional readiness, UBCO’s Capstone course transforms students from learners into industry-ready engineers-equipped not only to meet the challenges of today, but to lead the innovations of tomorrow.