A group of interdisciplinary engineering students reviewed Waupaca’s current shoreland and wetland zoning ordinances, analyzed compliance and DNR and FEMA best practices, and identified possible areas of improvement. Their goal was to reduce the risk of flooding in Waupaca, protect water resources, and maintain program eligibility for sustainability status. […]
As Waupaca’s population increases and its facilities continue to age, the city is interested in designing a public safety square that would include a combined facility for police and fire services. A group of engineering students created five site plans that included drive-through bays for firetrucks, space for full-time firefighters, an impound lot for the […]
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Walworth County worked with students to explore local interventions to address gainful employment access, which was identified as a key social determinant of health in recent community plans. Students explored several models for supporting community-coordinated services and resources, and developed a weighted decision matrix to help the county make evidence-based decisions. […]
Measuring runoff from agricultural fields can inform conservation practices that prevent erosion, harm to the environment, and economic fallout. Engineering students built a runoff monitor prototype using a water sensor that measures the height of the liquid in which it is immersed. […]
To support flood mitigation efforts in Vernon County, a group of engineering students built a stream height measuring device prototype that is affordable and easy to replicate on a large scale. This tool can measure the height of a water source, transit data from a sensor into a microprocessor, and then output the data into […]
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Sheboygan County is reimagining the Amsterdam Dunes Preservation Area and plans to add an observation deck attached to an existing silo, among other improvements. Engineering students designed three plans to adapt the silo as an observation deck. The plans include options for minimal structural modifications, structural reinforcement, and a self-supported ring observation deck. […]
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Industrial Systems Engineering students conducted a time study of several polling places during the City of Madison’s April election. By conducting a systems analysis, they identified pain points, root causes, and opportunities for cost-effective, proactive solutions to optimize election-day processes for streamlined operations and positive voter experiences. […]
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In an effort to improve accessibility and readability of the City of Madison’s Language Access Plan, students reviewed examples from other communities to recommend plans from other communities and recommend amendments for Madison’s plan. Suggested improvements included areas where plain language, data presentations, explicit notices, and more concise language would make the plan more user-friendly […]
To support the City of Madison’s ongoing update of its Language Access Plan, students analyzed language access call data over the last five years to identify primary and emerging needs. Based on their findings, they developed data presentation and narrative recommendations for inclusion in the city’s updated Language Access Plan and accompanying educational materials. […]
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Industrial Systems Engineering students used a systems approach to identify opportunities for increased operational efficiencies and coordination between the 12 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers in Jefferson County. Students recommended interventions such as a roving paramedic position or shared secondary ambulances as cost-effective strategies to save costs while maintaining response times and expanding 24/7 paramedic-level […]
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