From fall 2025 to spring 2026, Nelms Institute members Aaron Costin, PhD and Janise McNair, PhD mentored an undergraduate student design team in the Integrated Product & Process Design (IPPD) program.
The IPPD team, called “Brick-by-Bit”, far surpassed expectations. They received the University of Florida 2026 Exemplary Team Award, and they were selected to present an invited poster at the 2026 National Capstone Design Conference. This recognition highlights their hard work and dedication!
Congratulations Mina Alkhazraji, Samantha Bennett, Justin Lopez, Richard Romero, and Austin Wing!
Faculty Coach: Janise McNair
Liaison Engineer Advisor: Aaron Costin
PhD Student Mentor: Vikram Narre
The team was given a directive to design an IoT system for construction 2.0 site monitoring. It consisted of prototype energy-efficient custom sensor nodes, a reliable distributed wireless network, and an online unifying gateway dashboard with secure authentication. The team tested their equipment on an active construction site and had their design evaluated by the on-site construction management company.
IPPD is an experiential education program where multidisciplinary teams of senior-level undergraduate, MS Applied Data Science, and MS AI Systems students work for two semesters to design, build, and test authentic products for industrial and research sponsors. The student team operates under consultation with a faculty coach and an industry liaison, who sponsors the project.
The program mirrors a corporate research and development environment through structured deliverables, site visits, and review meetings. With involvement from 10 academic disciplines, IPPD emphasizes collaboration and the integration of diverse expertise. The program’s curriculum includes targeted in-class lectures and workshops designed to enhance students’ engineering skills. Engaging in real-world projects, students participate in all phases of design, fabrication, and testing, gaining practical insights and boosting their marketability.
