How to Get Involved

Participating as a sponsor in the University of Pittsburgh Department of Industrial Engineering Senior Design Program is a valuable experience for both sponsoring organizations and student teams. Sponsorship provides an opportunity to collaborate with senior industrial engineering students as they analyze real-world challenges and develop data-driven, practical solutions tailored to your organization’s needs.

Throughout the project, student teams maintain regular communication through presentations, written reports, meetings, emails, and virtual discussions. Sponsors receive updates on project progress and are provided with a final project report and presentation at the conclusion of the semester. Sponsors also play an important role as project stakeholders by offering feedback and contributing to the evaluation of the student team’s work and professionalism.

Submitting a proposed project is designed to be simple and accessible. Organizations interested in sponsoring a project can complete the Senior Design Sponsor Form, and a representative from the Industrial Engineering senior design program will follow up to discuss project details and next steps.

What to Expect from Your Student Team

Sponsors in the University of Pittsburgh Department of Industrial Engineering Senior Design Program should expect strong effort, consistent communication, and professionalism from their student team throughout the project. Each team works under the guidance and mentorship of an industrial engineering faculty member during the semester. Projects typically begin with a formal project charter that outlines the problem, objectives, scope, methodology, and anticipated outcomes.

Effective communication is a critical component of a successful senior design experience. Student teams are expected to maintain regular contact with sponsors through meetings, emails, presentations, and weekly status reports. Interim reports and milestone presentations help ensure alignment between the sponsor and the student team as the project develops.

At the conclusion of the semester, the student team delivers a final report and formal presentation summarizing their analysis, recommendations, and project outcomes. Depending on the nature of the project, teams may also provide additional supporting materials, tools, data analyses, or implementation resources relevant to the sponsor’s needs.

What We Want to See from Our Sponsors

Sponsors in the University of Pittsburgh Department of Industrial Engineering Senior Design Program are asked to designate a primary point of contact for the student team. This individual should be available to communicate regularly with the team—typically through email, phone calls, virtual meetings, or in-person discussions—for approximately 1–2 hours per week throughout the semester. The sponsor contact serves an important role by answering questions, providing project guidance, and helping ensure the team remains aligned with organizational goals and expectations. At the midpoint and conclusion of the project, sponsors are required to evaluate the student team’s performance using an assessment rubric provided by the department.

To support a successful project experience, sponsors are encouraged to begin discussions with the Industrial Engineering department early in the planning process to help define the project scope, objectives, and desired outcomes. Ideally, project proposals should be submitted approximately 15–30 days before the start of the semester. Early submission allows sufficient time to refine the project description and coordinate faculty mentorship. After a project proposal is received, a faculty representative from the program will follow up to discuss next steps and project planning details.

The University of Pittsburgh recognizes that some senior design projects may involve confidential or proprietary information. Project sponsors may request the use of a University-approved Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) for students and faculty involved in the project. Sponsors interested in this option can discuss NDA requirements with the Industrial Engineering program during the project setup process.

Senior Design Sponsor Form