My Capstone project revolves around creating a comprehensive website dedicated to Engineering Majors. The primary objective of this website is to offer in-depth information about different engineering Majors. The process of my project was very straightforward but I encountered minor problems like picking the main platform to make my website which took me to try four different platforms to find the one that suits my style of writing and represents my skills. My motivation for making this website was to help upcoming engineering SLA students, The website aims to provide valuable resources and insights that will aid students in selecting the right engineering school for their academic pursuits. Also, Driven by my own experiences as a student with a keen interest in pursuing engineering in college, I embarked on the creation of this website as a valuable learning resource for myself. I wanted to make my capstone that could personally benefit me in my journey, and I wanted to learn something new and impactful. The key component in making my capstone is a lot of research about each Engineering major, but I also added things like interviewing both my uncles that are Engineers and asking them about their experience in the industry and both of them had two completely different answers. Also, I conducted interviews with a group of ten students consisting of five sophomores and five juniors, all of whom expressed unwavering certainty regarding their choice of Engineering major for college.

My Website: https://sites.google.com/scienceleadership.org/rami-boubekri/chapter-1

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FRX3NVDIXi-GfXPidJCentrJHU15Owt9QJie88SBh1k/edit

My capstone project involved shadowing a mechanic to gain insights into the craft and acquire practical skills relevant to their engineering pursuits. By combining my interests in cars and engineering, I embarked on a journey to understand the mechanics’ profession and explore its connection to the core values of research, inquiry, collaboration, and presentation. The research phase involved shadowing a mechanic and consulting external resources to gather information. Genuine curiosity fueled my inquiry into the life of a mechanic, while collaboration with field experts enriched my learning experience. To address the core values, I created two websites: one highlighting DIY car maintenance tips and the other providing comprehensive information on becoming a mechanic. The project involved a systematic approach, including extensive research on automotive repair and maintenance, hands-on experience working with a professional mechanic, and the development of knowledge-sharing platforms. My proficiency in various mechanical tasks improved as I acquired skills in engine diagnostics, electrical systems, and advanced repair techniques. The journey culminated in the creation of websites that served as resources for car owners and aspiring mechanics. Overall, this capstone project expanded my understanding of automotive repair, strengthened my problem-solving skills, fostered collaboration within the automotive community, and instilled confidence in my engineering abilities for the future.

For my senior capstone, I coded my own information board using a raspberry pi and a TV donated by Braskem. To do this, I had to learn a brand new coding language and use software that I had never worked with before. This brought up challenges along the way because I had to use unique ways to solve my problems. I was able to get help from my mentor and classmates, along with forums talking about similar problems to mine. To make my capstone, I used a GitHub repository called MagicMirror to find the bare bones structure of my information board. From then, I implemented other modules I found and tried to create my own along the way. This whole time I was working in JavaScript and C++, which are both languages I have never worked with. Along with this, I was programming in an IDE called Geany, which is very basic compared to the IDEs I have worked with before. This made me learn how to troubleshoot my code without the help of debugging software, along with new skills in reading and writing code I have no experience in. This project is very valuable to me because it let me learn new skills that directly relate to what I will be going to college for a while, also making something that benefits SLA.

Annotated Bibliography:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1C-8X4IjwWA3mQJvHiNyGrHoLrs3pUUItSnKFwJ2pdx4/edit?usp=sharing

My capstone project involved developing a Chrome web store extension that accessed the Canvas LMS API to display assignments in a drop-down cube when the extension icon was clicked. The goal was to provide easy access to assignment information for students who often struggled with staying updated on deadlines. The project required extensive research and learning, as I had no prior knowledge of accessing APIs, working with Canvas API, or coding in JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and Chrome extensions. The extension was primarily focused on research, prototypes, and reflection due to its non-functioning state, which was caused by issues with accessing Canvas tokens and IDs. The key components of the project included the manifest.json file, index.html, and contentScript.js. The manifest file provided details about the extension, while index.html served as the basic HTML structure and the style.css functioned as the customization/”styling” of the HTML. The contentScript.js file, written in JavaScript, attempted to access the Canvas API, fetched assignments and dynamically displayed them in a dropdown box. Through this capstone, I significantly developed my programming skills and gained a deeper understanding of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Although the extension did not work as intended, the experience and lessons learned will positively impact my future coding endeavors. As my next step, I plan on creating and hosting a personal website to showcase my current and future projects.

Github Link (if you click on each file, there are comments under every important line of code, detailing what purpose they serve):

Capstone Bibliography:

For my capstone project, I chose to make a digital info board by using a television donated to our school by Braskem and a Raspberry Pi, which is a tiny computer that has a variety of uses. I came across the idea of creating a digital info board when I searched what could be possible with a Raspberry Pi and a television screen and the first thing that appeared was Magic Mirror. Magic Mirror is an open-source software that allows me to extract and modify code previously written by other users who have done similar projects and enables me to implement my own code into the software. Magic Mirror is a software that uses Javascript which is a new coding language that I had to learn. I spent a good amount of time trying to write a module that would be able to display Septa buses and trains arrival time but after facing many errors I realized that creating that was not something I was currently able to do. So then I spent the rest of my time modifying the code of previous users to better suit the SLA community. Throughout this project, I have learned the basics of a new coding language and the importance of communication, since talking to more people these past few days has given me more and more ideas about what I could add to the info board.

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q8jbrSSkMTYGmKMg6v7g112kfr0U0nRX9LP25DsRn2c/edit?usp=sharing

Instructions Manual:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Hf_38XU4Ppnl48T41kZXozsG2uy9m21wuy-ETD_QE3c/edit?usp=sharing

I made a camera dolly for the CTE Dig Vid Program. For those that don’t know, a camera dolly is a tool that is regularly used in the filmmaking industry. They’re used to get those smooth and steady tracking shots. Making a camera dolly was the perfect capstone for me because it allowed me to combine my passion for both Engineering and Filmmaking. I got the idea from seeing an instagram story from last year, when the CTE Dig Vid students were using a swivel chair as a makeshift dolly. Building the camera dolly proved to be very time consuming. It took research about the different kinds of dollies and their advantages. Then it took a lot of time working with Mr. Kamal and Ms. Ustaris to think of ideas. Most of the parts used in the camera dolly are from repurposed robots from previous years of our robotics club. A lot of the building was hours of me disassembling and reassembling to make sure that screw holes lined up. After weeks of work, I was able to create a camera dolly with an articulating arm that can rotate 360 degrees with a reach of about 3 feet. The large diameter wheels will allow the dolly to be used in most environments with flat ground. I’m proud of the quality of the camera dolly and hope it will be able to be used as a teaching tool for the Dig Vid students for years to come.

Link to Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vidKe1Cikmhda5V0H4D-wvUCtEK5yuy9x-TZkd_JoNs/edit?usp=sharing

I grew up having eczema, hives, sensitive skin, and allergies to certain cosmetic ingredients. There are others who don’t have access to the resources I have or have a hard time dealing with the issue. According to NCCIH, one in three Americans are impacted by skin disease. My personal experiences has pushed me to further my research in AI in the medical field. I want to help those who need help make progress to that road in a less intimidating and easier way. I believe the first step would be a web app the user can use. They will get comfortable and one step closer to solving the problem and asking for help.

The importance of early diagnosis in the fight against skin cancer is necessary. Artificial intelligence (AI) has now developed to the point where it can be used to successfully diagnose cancer earlier than the current techniques.

I wanted to make a website with easy user interface, where it has all the information and educates the user about skin cancer and the use of technology in the medical field. My website (HTML, JavaScript, CSS) uses Tensorflow.js, a JavaScript library for training and deploying machine learning models in the web browser and Node.js. I collected 107 of the 10,000 images from the HAM10000 dataset. With those images, I created and trained a model in Microsoft Azure CustomVision.ai. I gathered most of my research for my research paper from Stanford Skin Cancer Program.

Website: https://senior-capstone-skin-x.c2003.repl.co/index.html

GitHub: https://github.com/cnbui/Skin-X/tree/main

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Mc2D96NLRf8QvUycfBqBVu4yE-0QtAjtyN8U31Hl_lE/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I decided to install a water fountain at Camp Dark Waters (CDW). It would be placed in a corner of the field which would give kids easy access to water while they are playing running games in the hot summer sun. Without this fountain, the closest water fountain was a 5 to 10-minute walk. I decided to place a water fountain and a cool-down shower at the edge of the softball field. There was no pipeline that went to the softball field, so a majority of my project was digging the trench for the pipeline. I started digging in late March as the ground started to soften up, and with a few complications and unexpected circumstances popping up was not able to finish. Everything is set up and built, I just need to connect the pipeline which has to be completed while it is dry.

Link to Photos of Capstone: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/137ar8XdGtY-wU0DjECANE8jQwcSfZQD6?usp=share_link

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e_vK1iV8kfhdBFjFjVGq3UKuaNEqhpXhwHMExY-1x2U/edit?usp=sharing

By using the Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) approach to solve the problem of feral cat overpopulation, my capstone project intended to bridge the gap between my personal and academic lives. To reduce the number of feral cats and enhance their well-being, TNR involves catching, spaying/neutering, and relocating the cats to their original habitat. I chose to do my research because of my passion for the topic and the negative consequences of population growth, including the spread of disease, competition for resources, and effects on wildlife. My capstone matched SLA’s five guiding principles. Researching cat behavior, trap design, and community needs prompted the inquiry. To enhance the design process, extensive research was conducted on the materials, methods, and traps already in use. The most effective trap ideas were chosen after thorough evaluation and brainstorming, and they were then prototyped and tested with my pet cat and bait. I found some obstacles including selecting a material that would minimize harm to trapped animals.

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I5OS5l_T6PfmVBTPG7SPgSvVdOquQDSbjZyDD95DCvU/edit?usp=sharing

My capstone project was to design and simulate a model rocket that used a dual-deploy parachute system. I decided to do this project because of my interest in model rockets and aerospace engineering. The rocket is 39 inches long and has about a 2-inch diameter. Dual deployment means that once it reaches its apogee, the highest point, a small parachute gets released, then a larger parachute gets released once it gets much closer to the ground. A normal parachute system just releases one large parachute at apogee. I researched different components of model rockets and model rocket kits. Then I designed a rocket in Fusion 360, a CAD software. I then took that design and created it in a simulation tool called Open Rocket. I adjusted the design to get the apogee over a thousand feet. Then I went to the CAD and added the changes I made in the simulation. The other data I’m collecting from the simulation are the drag coefficient and the horizontal distance traveled. The horizontal distance is important because the point of a dual-deploy parachute system is to decrease the distance a rocket travels after its parachute is deployed. Throughout this project, I have learned so much about how model rockets work, how to use Fusion 360, and how to use Open Rocket. All of these are skills that I plan on using in the future as an aerospace engineer.

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZBTOZC78DLeTPDKGGQUDDRYAeXIkPatUDR6PWbz7qaM/edit?usp=sharing