At the University of North Texas, engineering students are doing more than finishing class projects—they’re designing wearable health tech, launching startups, and prototyping robots aimed at real-world problems.
That was the focus of UNT’s annual Research and Design Expo, where the university said nearly 30 student teams showcased senior capstone projects. UNT said the event is part of a broader effort to connect student innovation with Texas’ workforce and research needs—particularly in biomedical tech, infrastructure, and sustainability.
“The Expo is always an exciting time for our college,” Paul Krueger, dean of the College of Engineering, said in a statement. “It’s a showcase of the innovative drive and talent of our undergraduate and graduate students. From health care solutions to sustainability, our students are ready to change the industry and improve everyday lives.”
Biomedical: A wearable solution for eczema
Senior biomedical engineering student Chloe Nguyen developed a smartwatch-style sensor that tracks skin hydration to help manage eczema—a condition she said she has struggled with for years. UNT said her startup, ZemaLink, was formed in fall 2024 and recently won $5,000 in the university’s iUNT Pitch Competition.
The device, worn like a watch, sends alerts when hydration drops and shares data with dermatologists to support personalized treatment. UNT said Nguyen led the team—including Marc Anthony Torres, Ryan Ghandour, and Praises Ogunbanwo—with support from Plano-based biomedical consulting firm The RealTime Group.
Electrical: Smarter litter pickup
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, about 362 million pieces of litter accumulate on Texas roads each year. In response, UNT said a team of electrical engineering students created the Trash Identification and Disposal (TI-D) Robot—a machine that uses image recognition, dual-arm mechanics, and obstacle-avoidance sensors to collect and sort litter.
“The most rewarding part was just seeing it pick up that first piece of trash,” said team member Jude Abunabaa, who worked with Austen Guerrero, David Pemberton, and Jean Hobson.
Materials science: Advancing bone implants
A materials science team designed a radially graded stainless-steel lattice that UNT said is intended to better match the stiffness of human bone and improve implant integration. The team also experimented with bone-mineral coatings for theoretical testing and plan to continue their research this summer.
“We actually got a significantly closer stiffness to bone than current implants,” said student Jacob Spencer, who worked alongside Magdalena Cruz and Wesley Miller.
Construction management: Building Dallas’ Bridge Park
UNT said this year marked the first time multiple teams in its construction management program participated in the Expo. Nine teams partnered with companies on active North Texas projects, including UNT facilities, Frisco ISD campuses, and a new development in Venus, Texas.
One group, Team Peach Tree, worked with McCarthy Building Companies on Southern Gateway Park—a bridge park being built over I-35E to reconnect Dallas’ Oak Cliff neighborhood.
“There are maybe a handful of bridge parks in the country,” said student Juan Guido.
“You get to talk to people on-site and better understand how to apply what we’ve learned,” added teammate Jada Ramirez.
Computer science: Games and AI in the classroom
In computer science, UNT said one student team partnered with Texas nonprofit Eat Like the Rainbow to launch an online board game that teaches children about nutrition through trivia and game mechanics. Another team, led by graduate student Rena Patel and undergraduate Divya Darji, explored how math teachers perceive and respond to the rise of AI in student learning.
“As more students use AI for their assignments, we think it’s important to gather more insight on how teachers feel about AI and how they could use it for learning,” Patel said in a statement. “If they gain more knowledge and training for AI tools that are better suited to math learning, they can guide their students towards those.”
Expanding research access
In addition to senior design projects, UNT said this year’s Expo included the debut of a research poster competition for undergraduate and graduate students. Some teams participated in both events, including seniors Joshua Ennis and Tristan King, who presented a system designed to support post-quantum cryptography.
“It’s good experience to present our research to people from different fields,” Ennis said.
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