Build it and they will come. Eh, that only works in the movies. In reality, once you build it, they come only after you manufacture and market it. In other words, you need a plan.

For 50 engineering students who took part in the semi-annual senior design competition this month, the building was the easy part. For help with the plan, they turned to graduate students in business.

Partnership that Makes Cents

The competition is an integral part of a College of Engineering degree. Soon-to-be engineering grads team up each semester to design and build unique solutions to an everyday challenge. It's a lesson in pairing technical skill with commercial concepts to help the future engineers move ideas off campus and onto store shelves. Since the engineering competition began a decade ago, the projects have become more sophisticated and technically sound, but none have quite made it to market.

That could soon change. This year, students in UNLV's Master of Business Administration program teamed with engineering undergrads to develop business plans for the engineering projects. The top projects have been entered into the Tri-State Governor's Cup and Southern Nevada Business Plan competitions.

"Business and engineering students are trained to think about the world differently," said Paul Jarley, dean of the College of Business. "Engineering students focus on technology and design, while business students think about the voice of the customer and what it will take to finance and build companies around the products."

So far, so good.

Turning Ideas into Businesses

Two of this semester's 14 senior design projects -- a quick-loading magazine for a Ruger rifle and an accident-detection/notification system for motorcycles -- have been named semifinalists in the Southern Nevada Business Plan Competition. A win there will provide both money and mentoring to help make their designs a reality.

"Our goal is for our graduates to become employers, not just employees," said Rama Venkat, dean of the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering. "If our students can partner to create new local businesses, it benefits both our community and our state."

Entrepreneurial Support Drives Competition

Partnering with the College of Business was a logical next step to a competition that has grown in recent years due to the generosity of entrepreneurs Fred Cox and Bob Mendenhall. The two business leaders made it possible for the college to create a dedicated design lab for students, pay for raw project materials, and award prize money to the top teams. They also offer invaluable mentoring to the students.

"Engineering students throughout the world participate in senior design, but we made it different by allowing the students to compete in front of industry judges for monetary awards," said Venkat. "This makes the students think not just about a grade, but about how they can turn class knowledge and creativity into something more."

Now, with a group of business-savvy MBA students on their side, what was once just a final project for students can now be a first step toward a successful career.

"This partnership is a great example of what UNLV can do for the community," said Jarley. "It's no longer theoretical; it's about real jobs and real people making lives better."

A Selection of Fall Projects

The grand prize in the Fall 2010 Senior Design Competition was awarded to a plan for wastewater treatment in North Las Vegas. The project looks at the feasibility of using Sloan Channel or an underground pipeline parallel to the channel to move water from the existing North Las Vegas treatment facility to the Las Vegas Wash. The pipeline would use gravitational flow and would not require a pumping station.

Other noteworthy projects included:

Solar Water Purification System -- Drinking water quality is inadequate in many areas of the world due to limited purification technology and unreliable power sources. This unique design can be used independent of a power source through a combination of solar panels, existing purification techniques, and multiple performance sensors. The solar power and battery backup allow for uninterrupted service, while the sensors maintain water quality standards.

Vertical Lift Dolly -- A dolly is great for moving heavy objects to another room, but how do you lift it up and into place? The Vertical Lift Dolly satisfies both needs. The novel device is a retrofit to a standard 600-pound dolly and includes a pulley system operated by an interchangeable hand winch. Users can easily move and lift loads up to 250 pounds, perfect for compact furniture, televisions, and landscape and maintenance materials.

B.E.T. O.N. T.H.I.S. -- The Blade Element Theory Omnidirectional Neodymium Technical Home Improvement System is a wind turbine designed for single-family home use. The unit is equipped with a ball-bearing system that allows it to track changes in the wind for optimal performance. It's perfect for off-grid homes, cabins, and sustainable communities.

Motorcycle Accident Detection/Notification System -- The motorcycle industry traditionally has lagged behind the auto industry in developing safety and emergency notification technology. This system uses GPS tracking, a built-in accelerometer, and mobile communications send a detailed message to first responders when a motorcyclist is involved in an accident. Its goal is to improve accident survival rates.

Environmental Control Module -- This all-in-one unit is perfect for hospitals, laboratories, and schools as it controls temperature, humidity levels, and barometric pressure in a room as well as monitors levels of oxygen and other combustible gases present. The unit, controlled through a LCD monitor and powered by a 12-volt battery, also checks for dangerous levels of light intensity.