Academic Advisory Committee Meeting and Senior Design Project Presentations
Thursday, May 14, 2026
The Paper Science & Chemical Engineering Academic Advisory Committee (AAC) Meeting is an annual event held each spring.
Each year, representatives from the
paper and allied industries gather with the Paper Science & Chemical Engineering faculty and staff to listen and assess the Senior Design
Project Presentations and provide students with constructive feedback on
their projects. After the presentations the committee meeting will consist of breakout groups to discuss topics important to the department, a department update will be provided separately to those that register, in an email. We encourage participants
to provide constructive feedback on all discussion topics.
Registration
If you would like to be a part of the Academic Advisory Board meeting and/or be a part of the Senior Design Projects, please contact the Paper Science & Chemical Engineering Department and we will be sure to email you with further details on how to join this event.
Questions? Please contact Angie at 715-346-4817 or engineering@uwsp.edu.
Schedule for May 14, 2026
In Person at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI
8:30 am Registration, continental breakfast
8:45 am Welcome and instructions
9:00 am Senior Design Project Poster Presentations: Chemical Engineering
10:00 am Senior Design Project Presentations: Paper Science Engineering (break out rooms)
11:00 am Academic Advisory Committee meeting with breakout discussions on PS&ChE important topics.
12:00 pm Adjourn for Lunch (provided)
Chemical Engineering: Senior Design Project, Spring 2026
Problem Statement
You are to design a new production facility for ethyl acetate (EtAc). Your first task is to do background research on the chemical and the process(es) used to produce it on an industrial scale. The facility is to be designed to produce 10,000 metric tons of EtAc per year, with a purity of 99.5% EtAc. The proposed location is in Ohio, near ethanol and acetic acid producers, so choosing a process based on those raw materials would minimize transportation costs. There is a chemical production facility (owned by your company) adjacent to the proposed location that has utilities available for the new plant. Economic information, including utility pricing, is on the back of this sheet.
You will work with a team of three or four to design the EtAc production facility. In addition to the specifications above, the requirements are:
- The plant will operate 350 days/year, 24 hours/day.
- Capital costs and operational costs (including operating labor) are to be included in the economic analysis.
- Justification of your choice of raw material is an important part of your reporting on the project.
- The process must have as small a carbon footprint as possible. Include explanations of how this will be achieved in your report.
- Provide recommendations on ways to monetize any waste products.
- For the purposes of your economic analysis, assume the system will have a 20-year plant life and a Minimum Acceptable Rate of Return of 8%.
- Safety and environmental aspects must be considered in decisions and recommendations.
Chemical Engineering Student Design Teams:
- Azalea Clendenning, Lee Elsinger, Gavin Marifke, Joshua Wilson
- Andres Bolanos, Brianna Ehmiller, Tyler Hopp, Andrew Vold
- Greyson Marcott, Jacob Ramirez, Joey Ungar, Kyle Wittmus
- Ethan Fisher, Nathan Jensen, Troy Knutson, Ben Zobel
- Mya Baselt, Sohpia Craig, Alexis Podrez
- Dom Briske, Michael Lilla, Christopher Tomaszewski
This year, there were three design projects. They all focus on the stock preparation system, and you will build on last year's design solutions. In addition to the literature search, your investigations of these projects may include contacting vendors, touring a local mill to observe industrial solutions, etc.
Project 1. Thick stock preparation: safety, suitability, flexibility, and ease of use for equipment; consistency control, piping, instrumentation, and saveall operation. The scope includes the pulper through the mix chest.
Team: Mya Baselt, Sophia Craig, Alexis Podrez, Christopher
Tomaszewski
Project 2. Thick stock delivery: safety, suitability, flexibility, and ease of use for equipment; stuff box, thick stock control valve, fan pump, piping, and instrumentation. The scope includes the mix chest through the fan pump.
Team: Ethan Fisher, Nathan Jensen, Troy Knutson, Michael Lilla, Greyson Marcott
Project 3. Thin stock system: consistency control, stock heater, cleaners, pressure screen, piping, and instrumentation. The scope includes the fan pump through the headbox.
Team: Azalea Clendenning, Lee Elsinger, Gavin Marifke,
Joshua Wilson, Ben Zobel
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