The junior project is the beginning of our four-semester capstone project sequence. To align with external funding cycles, and to ensure that each capstone project meets the needs of each engineering cohort, the project selection process begins at the end of the sophomore year and is finalized in fall of the junior year. The goal of junior project is to produce "risk reduction" prototypes that support a detailed design proposal for their senior year. Students are expected to have strong analysis and experimental evidence (i.e., operational proofs of concept for major subsystem) to support the idea that their proposed design will be successful.