Jack Freedman

Staff Writer

As engineering upperclassmen at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor prepare for graduation, they work on a unique final project. This year, they are working with local charities to grow produce via aquaponics and hydroponics, eliminating the need to grow plants with soil.

“Students take a class called Engineering and Humanity in their junior year, and seniors take Senior Design I and II,” Dr. Ben Phillips, assistant professor of engineering, said. “In it, I’m having them connect with the food pantries in town. The senior design group is modifying this system to grow edible plants.”

For their capstone projects, seniors are coordinating with Feed My Sheep and Helping Hands by modifying aquaponics equipment built by the Physical Plant.

“We are working with Feed My Sheep, an organization that comes together to provide resources for the less fortunate.” Kamren Griffin, a senior and engineering major, said. “They grow their own vegetables, but also get it distributed from HEB. The hydroponics system could provide a lot of produce and provide a source of income where they could sell their own products.”

Griffin’s goal is to grow vegetables in a manmade fish pond. The pond is yet to be built and is currently being designed by the juniors.

“With the fish pond, plants could grow on the surface [of the water], and the nutrients could come from the fish,” Griffin said.
The juniors are in charge of coming up with blueprints for the pond and securing funding for the project. Once the plans are in place, the seniors can start the project.

“Our part is to make a proposal to the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) to get more funding for the project,” Isai Olvera, a junior, said. “They’re a team of electrical engineers who try to use their field to make the world more efficient. While the seniors actually build the project, we do the research and figure out how to sustain it long-term. Right now we’re still in the brainstorming and proposal phases. This pond will be a multi-year project. It’s not going to get done in one semester, but we’re laying the groundwork. I might even help to actually build it next year for my capstone.”

The UMHB engineering students hope that the project will be sustainable for future expansion and use over the years.