Student Project Teams and Organizations

Getting Involved

Within the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, students have many opportunities to get involved beyond their academic coursework. Students may choose to apply the knowledge they are learning in the classroom to one of our Student Project Teams such as Design/Build/Fly or EcoCAR 3. Professional engineering organizations allow students to connect and collaborate with peers, faculty, and industry members in their respective fields. Students may also decide to get involved with student organizations in the College of Engineering or through one of almost 1,400 student organizations at Ohio State!

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Student Project Teams

Buckeye AutoDrive

Buckeye AutoDrive will join nine other universities in the AutoDrive Challenge™ II Competition! The teams will take on the challenge of developing and demonstrating an autonomous vehicle (AV) that can navigate urban driving courses as described by SAE J3016™ Standard Level 4 automation. Learn more... 

Baja Buckeyes 

Baja Buckeyes SAE team is a student organization built to develop members' understanding of the automotive and motorsports businesses, as well as provide hands-on experiences that expand knowledge of engineering and fabrication practices. As a student-managed o-road race team, the group strives to present challenges to members, enabling them to learn the important elements of project management, business management and engineering design. 

Buckeye Bullet 

The mission of the Venturi Buckeye Bullet 3 team is to provide unique engineering challenges for students—valuable, hands-on experience—creating some of the best new engineers in the world. This student team pushes the envelope of electric vehicle technology and in so doing aims to change public perception of electric vehicles. Mission: prove that green technologies of the future will be both fun to drive and fast! 

Buckeye Current 

Buckeye Current is an engineering student project team operating out of the Center for Automotive Research at The Ohio State University. The team independtly manages, fundraises, designs, builds, and professionally races electric motorcycles on both the national and international stage in order to educate the next generation of engineers and show the world the future of racing. 

Buckeye Space Launch Initiative

The Buckeye Space Launch Initiative (BSLI) is an interdisciplinary organization of ambitious students with a shared vision of student-led spaceflight. Our mission is to establish Ohio State as a leading university in rocketry by creating economical access to space through collaborative, student-driven research.

Buckeye Solar Racing

Buckeye Solar Racing is a student-run organization that designs, builds, and races solar electric vehicles. Our goal is to provide students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with real-world engineering applications, project management exposure, and business expertise. We aim to push the limits of alternative energy, through innovation, in hopes of a more sustainable future. We have four sub-teams: Mechanical, Electrical/Software, Aerodynamics, and Business/Marketing. All majors are welcome and no experience is necessary!

Design/Build/Fly

Design/Build/Fly is a multidisciplinary student project team that competes annually in the International AIAA Design/Build/Fly competition sponsored by Cessna Aircraft Company and Raytheon Missile Systems.

EcoCAR 3

The EcoCAR Mobility Challenge is the latest Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition. The U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors and Mathworks are challenging 12 North American universities to redesign a 2019 Chevrolet Blazer into a hybrid-electric, semi-autonomous and connected vehicle that has a reduced environmental impact, while maintaining or improving the practicality, styling and performance of the original design. Learn more about EcoCAR here. 

Formula Buckeyes SAE

The Formula Buckeyes race team consists of students from a variety of majors including Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Business Administration, Marketing, and Art & Technology. Through this variety of talent and dedication, we design, fabricate, and race a high performance, open wheeled race car. The concept of the Formula SAE competition is to allow students to take part in vehicle research, development, and fabrication. 

Rover Team 

The purpose of the Rover Team is to to design and construct an efficient and competitive rover vehicle in order to compete in the international NASA racing competition. This vehicle must abide to all of the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge rules and regulations. 

Supermileage SAE 

The Supermileage SAE team provides students with a challenging design project involving the development and construction of a single-person, fuel efficient vehicle. Utilizing unleaded fuel, the goal is to build a vehicle aimed at obtaining the highest combined miles per gallon (kilometers per liter) rating plus design segment points winning the event.

Theme Park Engineering Group

The purpose of the Theme Park Engineering Group is to enhance the technical knowledge gained by members in the classroom through applications in the theme park and entertainment industry. This shall take the form of team design projects as well as various educational opportunities.

Underwater Robotics 

The Underwater Robotics team designs and constructs a fully autonomous underwater vehicle which travels through an obstacle course. The team cannot interface with the robot aside from pressing the start switch. The team aims to achieve three main goals: design and manufacture an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to compete annually at the AUVSI International Robosub competition; help members gain engineering skills necessary to pursue professional careers; and support the community through outreach and encouraging engineering. 

Community Services Organization

Design for 90

Design for 90 aims to provide students with an opportunity to be involved in a collaborative learning environment and put to use their skills learned in the classroom to solve complicated real world problems. DF90 aims to serve under served groups within the community. The name Design for 90 comes from the fact that 90% of all engineers and designers design products and solutions for just 10% of the population, leaving the remaining 90% of the population out of the many benefits of human centric design. We aim to design for this other 90%.

Engineers for Community Service

Engineers for Community Service(ECOS) is a student organization that promotes social responsibility through local and international service learning projects.

Engineers Without Borders

The Engineers Without Borders chapter at The Ohio State University is the student chapter of Engineers Without Borders – USA. We welcome all majors at OSU to join our team to grow technically, culturally, and globally as we work together to provide solutions to communities to reach their basic human needs.

Identity-Based Professional Engineering Organizations

American Indian Science and Engineering Society 

The American Indian Science & Engineering Society (AISES) is a national, nonprofit organization which nurtures building of community by bridging science and technology with traditional Native values. The ultimate goal of AISES is to be a catalyst for the advancement of American Indians and Native Alaskans as they seek to become self-reliant and self-determined members of society.

National Society of Black Engineers

NSBE's mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.

Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

oSTEM provides support for LGBTQ and straight ally students, faculty and staff by educating peers and connecting students, faculty and staff with professionals in industry.

Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers

SASE’s mission is to prepare students for success in the transnational, global business world; promote diversity and tolerance on campuses and in the workplace; provide opportunities for its members to make contributions to their local communities.

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers

The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers is The Ohio State University’s student chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). We are brought together by heritage, social responsibility and desire to improve the equality of all people through the use of science and technology. We value excellence in education, professional pursuits and leadership. 

Society of Women Engineers

SWE is an international organization focused on stimulating women to achieve their full potential in their careers as engineers and leaders. Ohio State's section of SWE is devoted on providing professional and social events to prepare students for the next step in their lives.

Competitions

SAE Aero Design Competition

SAE's Aero Design Competition challenges students to design and construct a small radio-controlled aircraft capable of lifting many times its weight. With a fixed wing size, the design goal is to lift off from a given runway length carrying the maximum weight, and land safely.

Honor Societies

Pi Tau Sigma: Mechanical Engineering Honorary Society

Pi Tau Sigma (OSU Pi Mu Chapter) is a national honorary mechanical engineering fraternity and is the only mechanical engineering honorary at Ohio State. The fraternity is co-educational as it admits both women and men.

Sigma Gamma Tau Aerospace Engineering Honorary

Sigma Gamma Tau is established to recognize and honor those individuals in the field of aeronautics and astronautics who have through scholarship, integrity, and outstanding achievement been a credit to their profession. 

Professional Engineering Organizations

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

The objective of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics at The Ohio State University is to promote education and advancement in aerospace related fields. The chapter encourages student research, promotes engineering diversity, and works to increase communication and collaboration between students, faculty, industry, and other student organizations.

American Nuclear Society 

The American Nuclear Society promotes professional and social activities among the students in the Nuclear Engineering program and cooperates with faculty on matters of mutual interest. The organization also performs service outside and within the University community. 

American Society for Engineering Education

The American Society for Engineering Education is a nonprofit organization of individuals and institutions committed to furthering education in engineering and engineering technology. It accomplishes this mission by promoting excellence in instruction, research, public service, and practice; exercising worldwide leadership; fostering the technological education of society; and providing quality products and services to members.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is a not-for-profit professional organization promoting the art, science and practice of mechanical and multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences. ASME develops codes and standards that enhance public safety, and provides lifelong learning and technical exchange opportunities benefiting the global engineering and technology community. 

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Graduate Student Association

MEGA is a student organization for graduate students in the Department of  Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Their mission is to advise, assist, support, and socially involve graduate students in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at The Ohio State University. By serving as a reliable resource for information, providing a voice for the graduate population, acting as a liaison between graduate students and the MAE faculty and administration, and fostering a sense of community through social activities, we strive to enhance the experience of all mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear engineering graduate students. 

Society of Automotive Engineers 

Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)is dedicated to advancing mobility through the research, development, design, and manufacture of several different kinds of land and air vehicles. Vehicles include a formula style racecar, super-efficient sedan, solar powered car, and electric powered car. Teams compete in regional and national competitions.