Senior Design Experience

The Fred and Harriet Cox Senior Design Competition is a part of every UNLV engineering and computer science student’s academic experience. A capstone to his/her educational career, the senior design project encourages the student to use everything learned in his/her program to create a practical, real-world solution to an engineering or computer science challenge. Each student chooses, plans, designs, and prototypes a product in this program designed to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship. Held each semester, the competition helps to focus students to increase the quality and potential for commercial application for their projects, as well as provide the experience of working in teams, sourcing materials and honing their presentation skills.

Reward and Recognition

During the competition, students from the College of Engineering present their latest creations in tech advancement to a panel of local industry representatives. Judges choose winners in each category based on innovation, commercial potential, presentation quality and sustainability. Cash prizes for first and second place are given in each discipline, as well as various categories. Through the generosity of patrons, Fred and Harriet Cox, as well as award sponsors, the College of Engineering reimburses teams for the costs associated with the creation of their prototype. This ensures that teams are not working under unfair financial constraints, but have the resources they need to excel.

The Senior Design Awards Reception celebrates the students’ achievements and provides their families, faculty and the greater Las Vegas Community an opportunity to share the excitement of their work.

In 2015 the $3 million Fred and Harriet Cox Endowed Senior Design Fund was established to permanently help fund the bi-annual competition and awards banquet.