The Yale Engineering Design Team (YEDT) is an organization of graduate and undergraduate students who take a hands on approach to problem solving and design. Our team includes a broad range of majors and interests. Students are involved in the brainstorming, planning, budgeting, designing, and building of numerous projects. We invite you to explore our group and seek out a home for your curiosity and talents.

The Team. Welcome to the website of the Yale Engineering Design Team. We hope that you enjoy your visit and we invite you to use this website as a tool for learning more about our organization and our projects.

Overview

Founded in 2004, the Yale Engineering Design Team (YEDT) is a group of undergraduate students interested in innovation and mechanical arts. The members are dedicated to the work of engineering projects, large or small, that enhance skills in the engineering process, from design to fabrication to testing. While most of the students are engineering majors, the team encourages participation from students of all backgrounds. By bringing together students with a variety of experiences and skill sets, the team hopes to foster growth in a number of areas, including teamwork, leadership skills, communication and creative problem solving.

The primary focus of The Yale Engineering Design Team is to provide the opportunity for application of classroom theory to independent group or individual research as well as group engineering projects. As such, the main function of the group is to serve as an intermediary between motivated students, faculty and corporate sponsors to facilitate unique and inventive research. As part of this continuing mission, the organization regularly sponsors tutorials, lectures, interactive demonstrations and one-day team design competitions in order to provide unique technical learning experiences for the members of the organization as well as the Yale academic community. In addition, the group is currently sponsoring three large research projects, as explained below.

The organization of the group insures student involvement and input in every aspect of group operations. An executive board of students serves as the primary organizational body for the group. This board is assisted by the group faculty advisor, Mechanical Engineering Professor David LaVan. He has provided a great deal of guidance with many of our projects and continues to remain active in all of the group’s current activities.

Design ideas for all research projects and activities are submitted by group members and members of the community at large. After voting on the projects, one or two ambitious designs are chosen annually for financial support. Any activity with student interest receives administrative support from the group. Tutorials, lectures and demonstrations are offered in areas of student interest. Members of both the Yale Academic and local corporate communities present topics or offer classes that instruct students on a variety of topics.