Ontario Tech Engineering students showcase innovative solutions at annual Capstone Competition

From space stations to railway tracks, vehicle tires and social media algorithms, student projects explored a wide range of applications

May 5, 2026

From left: Second-place ECSE team members Rushda Khan, Zainab Ahmed, Yara Mahmoud, and Nuha Haq.

A total of 362 fourth-year Engineering students at Ontario Tech University put their learning into action at the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science’s (FEAS) annual Engineering Capstone Systems Design Exhibition and Competition, transforming classroom knowledge into real-world solutions through hands-on design and innovation.

Over two semesters, students worked in teams to bring their ideas to life, culminating in project presentations that highlight applied research, technical skill, and solutions informed by industry needs and emerging challenges.

This year, 86 projects were presented. Their work demonstrated innovation, technical excellence and a strong focus on practical impact.

Projects were evaluated by a panel of 16 industry professionals, eight of which are Ontario Tech Engineering alumni. Judges assessed each project based on criteria including innovation, feasibility, impact and professionalism.

The Capstone competition is a milestone in the student experience, reflecting Ontario Tech’s commitment to experiential learning, industry collaboration and preparing graduates to address complex challenges.

This year’s competition was generously supported by the Society of United Professionals.

Awards and cash prizes were presented to the top three teams from each of the following departments:

Department of Automotive and Mechatronics Engineering (AME) and Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (MME)
Department of Electrical, Computer and Software Engineering (ECSE)
Department of Energy and Nuclear Engineering (ENE)

AME/MME Awards

First place: Design and Evaluation of a Robotic System for Maintenance of Exterior Sensors on Space Stations

Joey Falconi
Daniel Jeon
Shivansh Joshi
Fiona Kirby
Claude Wellington

Faculty Advisor:Dr. Aaron Yurkewich

Second place: Design and Development of a 4-Axis Filament Winding Machine

Bhavik Lad
Gary Madhan
Alex Morris
Israel Ogunmola
Troy Odia

Faculty Advisor:Dr. Ahmad Barari

Third place: Design and Evaluation of a Robotic System for Assisting People with Upper Limb Paralysis with Everyday Tasks

Hans Boodhoo
Ethan Fishlock
Gabriel Joson
Peter Marchut
Paige Roy

Faculty Advisor:Dr. Aaron Yurkewich

ECSE Awards

First place: Design and Development of Wireless Charging System for Fully Electric Wheelchairs

Shuaib Bamume
Ethan D'Abreo
Chris Mbwesse
Ronald Onyiorah

Faculty Advisor:Dr. Sheldon Williamson

Second place: Design and Development of an LLM-Based IoT Application for Reducing Carbon Footprint

Zainab Ahmed
Nuha Tahnia Haq
Rushda Khan
Yara Mahmoud

Faculty Advisor:Dr. Akramul Azim

Third place: Design and Development of a Novel Multi-Source Inverter (MSI) Topology

Dorsheed Abdalla
Badi Daoud
Jack Flann
Emmanuel Ita

Faculty Advisor:Dr. Mohamed Youssef

ENE Awards

First place: Removing Radioactive Material from an Electrostatic Precipitation Device

Maria Accardi
Justin Felker
Klairissa Kucava

Faculty Advisor:Dr. Glenn Harvel

Second place: Automated Inspection System for Fresh Aluminum-Clad Nuclear Fuel

Nico Kratofil
Alex Podnar
Adam Robinson
Liam Wood

Faculty Advisor:Dr. Matthew Kaye

Third place: Design and Implementation of an Automated Vacuum Control System for Tritium Removal

Joey Calabria
Jayden Mirosh
Samir Nabha Issa
Tristan Pritchard-Roy

Faculty Advisor:Dr. Lixuan Lu

Thank you to the judges who took the time out of their day to evaluate the Capstone projects. The judge panel included Professional Engineers and alumni.

AME/MME judges

Lloyd Bailey, Senior Technical Engineer, Ontario Power Generation (OPG)
Mo Bina, Scrum Leader, General Motors of Canada
Ralph Chatoor, Executive Vice-President, Society of United Professionals
Matthew Dlugosz, Manufacturing Engineering Team Lead, BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Inc
Amanda Kalhous, Independent Consultant
Brian Riess, Superintendent, Production, Cameco Fuel Manufacturing
Uni Lee, Transmission Integrity and Technology Engineer, Enbridge Gas
Matt Trudel, Mechanical Equipment Engineering Team Leader, BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Inc

ECSE judges