Photo: Contributed - Ubyssey

First-year engineering students at UBC Okanagan show off their skills this week.

More than 300 students will compete in the annual design showcase, in which novelty, function and sturdiness can lead to success.

The event takes place Thursday, 1 to 4:30 p.m., at UBCO's EME building.

Teams of students will display projects they have designed and built to match specific requirements.

“The students were given a choice of three different themes,” says instructor Ray Taheri. “During the design showcase, they will explain and demonstrate their final intricate design to a panel of judges.”

Students had a choice of themes — create a device to make everyday living easier for an elderly person, a ‘Make Space’ project where they had to find an innovative way to transform non-teaching and learning spaces on campus to teaching and learning spaces, or create a personal cart where homeless people can store their belongings.

“Students are judged not only on the idea, but the novelty, function, and robustness of what they have designed and engineered,” explains Taheri. “Only the excellent designs make it to the final round, and only the very best will win the design showcase.”

The event is open to the public, and Taheri encourages high school students who are thinking about a career in engineering to drop by.