The involvement of the undergraduate student in academic-industrial projects

The role of the academic institution with respect to the undergraduate student has been changing over the recent years. As technology is advanced, the need for student introduction is amplified. During the last ten, or so, years, there has been a concerted push from academia, society, industry, and the accrediting bodies to introduce more practical applications into the engineering curriculum through academic-industrial projects. This paper deals with the success which Wilkes University (USA) has had in the past in their student involvement in these types of projects, and the types of contributions which the students have made to these projects.