Self - Initiative undergraduate research

Abstract

This paper describes an undergraduate research project conducted at a liberal arts institution during the summer of 2019. The undertaking was distinctive in that it was an engineering project conducted at a liberal arts college by undergraduate students enrolled in the college's engineering program. A multidisciplinary research team was assembled, composed of students majoring in civil, chemical and mechanical engineering. It should be emphasized that this seven-week program was designed to serve primarily as a learning experience for the student researchers. The goals were: (1) to engage undergraduate students in the self-initiative research process; (2) to demonstrate how what they are studying and learning can be put to practical use; and (3) to teach the students the value of their chosen field and how it benefits society. It should be further emphasized that the 'nuts and bolts' specifics of the project, though important, were not the primary objective; learning the value of teamwork, prioritization, time management and communication was. In picking a research topic, the students were asked to identify areas where unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) have been underused or totally unexploited, and to select one for further detailed analysis. Unlike typical research projects, where the potential areas of research and the main topic are preselected by the research instructor, this project allowed the student researchers to make those decisions. Several drone usage areas were identified, including: wildlife analysis, package delivery, athletic analysis, mosquito spraying, and areas in which artificial intelligence (AI) is used to enhance information gathering, such as security surveillance, storm tracking, and wildlife poaching activity. After a thorough review of these uses, mosquito spraying was selected as the focus topic. The decision was based on feasibility, time constraints (just seven weeks to complete the project), budget constraints, and capabilities of the Phantom 4 drone that was used. The research methodology involved the following components: (1) using the team 'brainstorming' process to settle on one research topic; (2) pooling the students' individual research efforts and findings to arrive at a comprehensive conclusion; (3) adapting a structured research approach to a very compressed, limited time frame; (4) coordinating a multidisciplinary team into a collaborative effort to meet specific deadlines; (5) using a high-tech mechanical device (the Phantom 4 Pro drone) to perform an untraditional assignment (spraying mosquitoes); and (6) training the students in the proper use and navigation of drones, and getting them FAA-qualified for pilot and ground observer status. Developing the mosquito spray container and spray release mechanism, and determining the type of spray to use, required two weeks of intensive study, analysis and design, necessitating several trials before achieving satisfactory results. Despite this time-consuming process, the students were able to conduct and complete the practical aspects of the research within the seven-week time-frame, although there wasn't enough time to adequately test the final design.