Community Impact
Central Utah STEM Fair Judging
Two members of our research lab served as judges at the 2026 Central Utah STEM Fair, engaging with high school students as they presented original research and engineering projects. Through this experience, our team contributed to fostering scientific curiosity, supporting early-stage innovators, and strengthening connections between the university and the broader community.
Tensegrity Jack-O'-Lantern
As part of the BYU Official Mechanical Engineering Graduate Association’s annual Engineering Pumpkin Contest, our lab designed and built a tensegrity jack-o’-lantern. This project applies principles of structural equilibrium and force distribution to create a visually striking “floating” pumpkin display.
The pumpkins were displayed to the public, providing an accessible and engaging way for community members to interact with engineering concepts outside of a traditional academic setting. By combining creativity with technical design, the exhibit helped promote interest in STEM and encouraged informal learning for visitors of all ages. Our pumpkin was awarded first prize for the unique application of engineering to pumpkin carving.
The pumpkins were displayed to the public, providing an accessible and engaging way for community members to interact with engineering concepts outside of a traditional academic setting. By combining creativity with technical design, the exhibit helped promote interest in STEM and encouraged informal learning for visitors of all ages. Our pumpkin was awarded first prize for the unique application of engineering to pumpkin carving.