Success Stories
What happens when E-SHIP students move from college to the real world? Many go to work in industry, while others start their own businesses. Here are a few success stories from the E-SHIP minor.
Entrepreneurs
Lionmenus.com - The founders of Lionmenus.com
Intrapreneurs
Most E-SHIP graduates go on to have careers in industry. In his E-SHIP courses, Chris Goldman (M.E., '03) developed a talent for presentations and public speaking. When he began searching for full-time employment, he interviewed for a position in systems integration - a field that is less technical and focuses more on interpersonal skills and creativity. In the interview, the company representative spent most of the time asking Goldman about his E-SHIP coursework. "I'm 90% sure that the E-SHIP minor was the main credential that got me hired," says Goldman.
Collaborative Projects
Penn State Eco-transport
Sponsor: Penn State Office of the Physical Plant
The Penn State Office of the Physical Plant (OPP) recently purchased an electric club car for on-campus transport. This is the first electric vehicle purchased by OPP, but they hope to transition to more eco-friendly vehicles in the future. However, they are uncertain that the vehicles will suit the rigorous needs of OPP.
During the spring 2007 semester, an E-SHIP group will develop a written business case, which would include specifications, for the customized design of an utility vehicle/s for uses specific to a college campus environment. The design should increase the work efficiency of OPP trades, be environmentally friendly (fuel source, wear on physical infrastructure, etc), and have a defined positive cost/benefit. Also provide a matrix of all available manufacturers and product offerings of comparable EUTVs, an environmental statement on the benefits of an EUTV over traditional gas UTV, and life cycle cost analysis of different alternative fuels, including gas.
Liberty Cane Project
Sponsor: Liberty Cane, www.libertycane.com
Robert Pozgar, a Penn State engineering alumnus, has developed and is beginning to market the Liberty Cane. The Liberty Cane is meant to improve the quality of life of disabled individuals, offering an ergonomic handle, lightweight body, and a patent-pending foot design that is both nonslip and safer in common hazards like self-closing doors. The cane also has two storage compartments: one can store an electronic device of the user's choice, and the other houses an Emergency Assist Pin, which helps users rise from a prone position.
Student team(s) in ENGR497A will be researching several factors completing the planned feature set of the Liberty Cane. The handle compartment was designed to be able to securely hold accessories, such as a cellular telephone, but the full set of accessory options needs more research from both the engineering and market-need sides. Topics to be researched:
- What accessories do cane users see as "high priority" for day-to-day activities?
- What price would people pay for various accessories?
- What are the engineering design challenges for different accessory concepts?
- Is there competition for the Liberty Cane? If so, what/where/price?
- Do a SWOT analysis
- Investigate innovative sales and marketing channels for the Liberty Cane
- Can concepts from the Liberty Cane be moved to the walker market?
Answers to these questions and other suggestions for commercialization should be included in a written report and addressed in the final presentation.
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