BEARS
End of Year Demo Day 2026

End of Year Demo Day 2026

Event Overview

BEARS concludes the academic year with our signature Demo Day - a celebration of innovation, hard work, and achievement! Join us for an afternoon of project demonstrations, research presentations, and recognition of our members’ incredible accomplishments.

This is your opportunity to see what BEARS has been working on all year, from CubeSat tracking systems to autonomous rovers, sustainability dashboards to microgravity experiments. All are welcome!

Event Highlights

Live Demonstrations

  • Working prototypes and hardware systems
  • Interactive displays you can try
  • Flight simulations and virtual tours
  • Real-time data visualizations
  • Drone and robot demonstrations

Project Presentations

  • 10-minute team presentations with Q&A
  • Technical deep-dives into methodologies
  • Lessons learned and future directions
  • Student research findings
  • Industry collaboration outcomes

Poster Session

  • Visual documentation of projects
  • Detailed technical information
  • Chat directly with team members
  • Vote for People’s Choice Award
  • Photography encouraged!

Awards Ceremony

  • Recognition of outstanding projects
  • Individual achievement awards
  • Sponsor prizes and grants
  • Scholarship announcements
  • Special recognitions

Aerospace Systems

  • High-Altitude Balloon Research Platform
  • CubeSat Tracking Dashboard & Ground Station
  • Autonomous Flight Control Systems
  • Rocket Propulsion Testing Rig

Robotics & Autonomy

  • Autonomous Rover Prototype (Mars Competition)
  • Line-Following & Obstacle Avoidance Robot
  • Drone Swarm Coordination System
  • Computer Vision Object Recognition

Research & Experiments

  • Microgravity Drop Tower Experiments
  • Materials Science Testing Platform
  • Atmospheric Data Collection & Analysis
  • Sensor Network Development

Sustainability & IoT

  • Campus Sustainability Dashboard
  • Energy Monitoring System
  • Smart Agriculture Prototype
  • Environmental Sensor Network

Software & Data

  • Mission Control Interface
  • Telemetry Data Visualization
  • Flight Path Prediction Software
  • Automated Testing Framework

Event Schedule

1:00 PM - Registration & Setup

  • Check-in and badge pickup
  • Project teams set up displays
  • Poster session preparation
  • Technical check for demos

1:30 PM - Opening Ceremony

  • Welcome address from BEARS leadership
  • Year in review highlights video
  • Introduction of special guests
  • Keynote from industry partner

2:00 PM - Project Demonstrations (Session 1)

  • Aerospace projects showcase area
  • Live flight simulations
  • Hardware demonstrations
  • Interactive exhibits

3:00 PM - Poster Session & Networking

  • Browse all project posters
  • Meet the teams and ask questions
  • Vote for People’s Choice Award
  • Refreshments and snacks
  • Industry recruiter networking

4:00 PM - Project Demonstrations (Session 2)

  • Robotics & autonomy projects
  • Software and data systems
  • Research experiments
  • Sustainability projects

5:00 PM - Formal Presentations

  • Top 8 projects give full presentations
  • 10 minutes each with Q&A
  • Judging panel evaluation
  • Technical deep-dives

6:30 PM - Awards Ceremony

  • Outstanding Project Awards (by category)
  • Best Presentation Award
  • People’s Choice Award
  • Innovation & Creativity Award
  • Technical Excellence Award
  • Leadership Recognition
  • New Member Spotlight
  • Special Guest Awards

7:30 PM - Reception & Celebration

  • Congratulations and networking
  • Photo opportunities with awards
  • Farewell to graduating members
  • Planning for next year
  • Continued project discussions

Awards & Categories

Project Awards (Trophy + $500 each)

  • Best Aerospace Project
  • Best Robotics Project
  • Best Software/Data Project
  • Best Research/Experiment
  • Best First-Year Project

Special Recognition

  • Outstanding Technical Achievement
  • Best Documentation & Presentation
  • Innovation in Design
  • People’s Choice Award
  • Sustainability Impact Award

Individual Awards

  • Member of the Year
  • Rookie of the Year
  • Mentor of the Year
  • Leadership Excellence
  • Community Service Recognition

Sponsor Prizes

  • Industry Partner Grants (up to $2,000 for continued work)
  • Internship opportunities
  • Equipment donations for winning projects
  • Conference attendance support

Judging Criteria

Projects evaluated on:

  • Technical Merit (30%) - Complexity, innovation, execution
  • Documentation (20%) - Quality of written and visual materials
  • Presentation (20%) - Clarity, engagement, Q&A handling
  • Impact (15%) - Real-world applications, benefits
  • Teamwork (15%) - Collaboration, organization, roles

Judging Panel:

  • University faculty from engineering departments
  • Industry professionals from partner companies
  • Alumni working in relevant fields
  • BEARS advisory board members
  • Previous year award winners

Who Should Attend

Students

  • See what your peers are building
  • Get inspired for future projects
  • Learn about project opportunities
  • Network with teams

Faculty & Staff

  • Discover student capabilities
  • Identify research collaboration opportunities
  • Learn about BEARS initiatives
  • Support student achievement

Industry Representatives

  • Scout talent for internships/jobs
  • Explore partnership opportunities
  • See cutting-edge student work
  • Connect with future engineers

Family & Friends

  • Support your students
  • Learn about their accomplishments
  • Understand what BEARS does
  • Celebrate their hard work

General Public

  • Free admission for all
  • Family-friendly event
  • Learn about aerospace and engineering
  • Inspire future engineers

Location & Logistics

Venue: Engineering Complex - Main Atrium & Exhibition Hall

  • Ample space for demonstrations
  • Climate-controlled environment
  • Accessible facilities
  • Food and beverage stations

Parking:

  • Parking Structure 1 (free weekend parking)
  • Overflow in Visitor Lot C
  • ADA parking available at main entrance

Accessibility:

  • Wheelchair accessible throughout
  • ASL interpreter available (request in advance)
  • Seating for presentations
  • Quiet room available

Registration

Free admission - No registration required for general attendance!

Optional RSVP (helps us plan):

  • Receive event updates
  • Reserve seating for presentations
  • Get networking list in advance
  • Entry into door prize drawing

RSVP at demo-day.bears.edu

What to Bring

  • Curiosity and questions!
  • Business cards (for networking)
  • Camera for photos
  • Notebook for ideas
  • Resume (industry recruiters will attend)
  • Family and friends

Exhibitors & Sponsors

Presenting Sponsors:

  • Boeing - Aerospace Innovation Sponsor
  • Lockheed Martin - Research Excellence Sponsor
  • SpaceX - Launch Systems Sponsor

Supporting Sponsors:

  • University Engineering Department
  • Career Services Center
  • Student Government Association
  • Alumni Association

Media Partners:

  • University News Service
  • Engineering Magazine
  • Local Tech Blog
  • Student Radio Station

Past Demo Day Statistics

2025 Highlights:

  • 42 projects demonstrated
  • 150 team members
  • 500+ attendees
  • $15,000 in awards
  • 12 industry partnerships formed
  • 8 projects continued into next year

Social Media

Share your experience!

  • Tag: #BEARSDemoDay2026
  • Instagram: @bears_aerospace
  • Twitter: @BEARSAero
  • LinkedIn: BEARS Organization

Live stream available on our YouTube channel for remote attendees!

Contact

Event Coordination:

Press & Media Inquiries:

Sponsorship Opportunities:

After Demo Day

  • Project documentation published online
  • Video recordings posted to YouTube
  • Photo gallery on website
  • Thank you reception for volunteers (August 1st)
  • Planning meeting for Fall semester (August 15th)

Join us in celebrating a year of innovation, collaboration, and achievement!

We can’t wait to share what we’ve built with you. See you at Demo Day!