Syracuse University’s mechanical and aerospace engineering capstone design program stands out for the depth of real-world engagement it offers students. Spanning two full semesters, the course is structured to simulate the actual product development process and environment engineers encounter in industry. Students work in teams sponsored by major companies. Recent partners have included NASA, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Eaton Corporation, Carrier Corporation, and Dupont, alongside aerospace and energy startups.
The capstone design course gives students direct exposure to the kinds of problems they’ll face as professional engineers. In the 2025-2026 cycle alone, seventeen senior capstone teams presented yearlong design projects developed in partnership with major aerospace, defense, energy, and technology companies. Beyond technical skill-building, the program emphasizes teamwork and professionalism, with final presentations judged by panels of industry experts — some years even awarding monetary prizes to the top-scoring teams. This combination of sponsor-driven projects, cross-disciplinary teamwork, and direct industry feedback gives students a genuine bridge from coursework to career.
Become A Sponsor: The Process
| Pre-Proposal | Complete a Pre-Proposal for Senior Design Projects form that asks for the following: Project titleGeneral description of the projectObjectives of the projectPoint of contactProjected list of deliverables* |
| Team Matching | Students review project proposals and submit top three choices. Capstone Instructor(s) assigns students to teams and projects based on student preferences and career goals. |
| Project Contract | Company commits to project fee* and any expenses related to the development of the project. |
| Project Proposal | Student team develops a detailed proposal based on initial discussions with the client. Once approved by the company, project work begins. |
| Faculty Mentor Matching | A faculty member from the MAE department is assigned to each team based on their area of expertise. |
* The list of deliverables is a critical component of the pre-proposal. Deliverables are tangible items that must be transferred to the client prior to a student’s graduation.
* Sponsors pay a fee of $8,000 per capstone project to Syracuse University to support the College, Department and Capstone program.
*Trade secrets and other proprietary information will be omitted from the public presentation and will be presented separately to the client.
Company Benefits
- Client receives all deliverables
- Ownership of intellectual property
- 1500+ student hours of design work over 2 semesters
- 40 faculty hours of technical advice
- Visibility to all of the senior class
- Early access to graduates
- Visibility on MAE Department Web page
Student Benefits
- Hands-on industry experience
- Exposure to leading technical organizations
- Networking opportunities
- Experience working on a team to deliver an engineering solution
- Exposure to the traditional gated review process, establishing realistic deliverables and milestones, planning, tracking and reporting
- Develop/hone skills in written, graphical, and oral presentation
Intellectual Property/Confidentiality
Prior to the start of any project, students will sign a Syracuse Mutual Confidentiality and Nondisclosure Agreement and Syracuse General Agreement on Assignment of Intellectual Property. The students on the relevant teams will have the right to be listed on any patent as “Inventors”, but the sponsoring company will be listed as “Assignee”. Neither Syracuse University nor the students will retain any rights to the intellectual property.
Mentors/Advisors
Project sponsors assign a member of their organization to mentor/advise their student team. Mentors/advisors meet with the teams (in-person or via Zoom) on a weekly/bi-weekly basis to provide feedback and offer guidance to the students. Mentors/advisors are invited to attend the final presentations.
Questions?
Please contact Professor Alex Deyhim at akdeyhim@syr.edu or by phone:
O: 315.443.1928
M: 607.229.3840