Student Design Teams
The Viterbi School of Engineering supports a large variety of student competition teams that design and construct projects that are then taken to national and international competitions. A number of these teams use the Baum Family Maker Space as their team headquarters and make use of the equipment available in the facilty. Due to a limitation on the available workspace not all teams can be housed in the Maker Space but all are welcome to come in and use the equipment in the facility as needed.
Teams may request space in the Maker Space by contacting the Faculty Director. Efforts will be made to accommodate the request if space is available. Teams with small projects may request storage space in the Maker Space so they can store their project there between times it is being worked on in the main Work Shop area.
For more information on the teams and how you can participate in their efforts click on the name of the teams below.
The AeroDesign Team of USC is a welcoming student organization that caters to those looking to design, build, and fly RC airplanes. ADT provides a hands-on approach for students, regardless of major, to learn and understand flight in a practical setting outside of the classroom. The team aims to be competitive by encouraging empirical innovation and providing a knowledge-rich platform to develop the next generation of leaders. We provide an opportunity to develop leadership, teamwork, and communication skills all while making friends and expanding your network.
Steel Bridge is where metal meets the mental and the two come together to create a rich, fun and competitive experience. What we do: We design a bridge, order metal, fabricate the pieces down in the machine shop, and assemble the bridge. Once the bridge is complete we pick a team consisting of three to six members who will compete at PSWC. During the competition, the three to six member team assembles the bridge as fast as they can while minimizing time penalties. After the bridge is assembled it is put under stress tests of around 2500 pounds.
The ASCE Concrete Canoe Competition tasks teams at universities around the country to design, build, and race a canoe made out of reinforced concrete. What makes this competition unique is the combination of skills and disciplines it requires. Canoes are scored based on the following criteria: Design Paper, Final Product, Presentation, and finally, the races. Each of these carry equal weight in the final scoring, which means the USC Concrete Canoe team needs to be not only a group of engineers, but also writers, athletes and artists.
USC’s Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Design Team is a student-run organization that designs, builds, and tests AUV's to compete in the annual Robosub competition. Every step of the design process, from planning, to fabrication, to testing, is decided by student members of the team. Each member is given their own individual project to complete, ensuring that every member makes a significant and direct contribution to the team. Our team is composed of primarily mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science majors, but has members from a wide range of other fields. Overall, USC AUV serves not just as a student organization, but also a way for each member to be prepared for their future careers in their chosen field.
Chem-E Car is a design team that competes with a shoe box-sized car that runs and stops on chemical energy. Our team participates in the regional and national level Chem-E Car competitions that take place every year.
EERI is an inclusive team of structural engineers and architects (and more) who build a model for the annual Seismic Design Competition. In the fall and spring semesters, we design and construct a 5-foot-tall 20-story balsa wood building. We also make detailed digital 3D models of the building, producing realistic renderings, architectural drawings and diagrams. At the competition, we present our structural and architectural designs, and on “Shake Day”, the model is put to the test on a shake table using two simulated ground motions. Typically, half of the models break - yet, USC has never been in the unfortunate half. Beyond the competition, we host company informational sessions, panels with industry professionals, and other connective events. EERI is the perfect club to join for any and all interested in structural engineering, architecture, and/or networking!
USC Formula Electric is a 50+ member, student-led design team building a fully-electric, Formula One–style race car! Each year, we collaborate to design, manufacture, test, and drive a brand-new vehicle. Through this process, our members gain hands-on, industry-level experience in areas like CAD modeling, manufacturing, design testing, high-voltage systems, battery modeling, circuitry, and much more. These are high-value technical skills that translate directly into careers in engineering and leadership beyond USC.
Each year the USC Recumbent Vehicle Design Team designs and constructs a human powered vehicle and travels to compete in the ASME Human Powered Vehicle Challenge. Members of our small diverse team gain hands-on experience as they take ownership of their own projects learning both design and manufacturing skills. Students do everything from CAD to aerodynamic analysis to machining to welding.
SC Solar Car
We are a design team at USC dedicated to building a fully solar powered single occupant racing vehicle and to educating students on sustainability and renewable energy. Our team offers a chance for students from any background or major to work on an engineering project, including designing, manufacturing, and funding, which helps bridge the gap between what students learn in classes and what professionals do in industry and research. Our team is also very passionate about environmental sustainability which provides a central theme around which our team builds a supportive and accepting community that encourages our team members to perform their best work.
USC Racing’s internal combustion team had a historic 2024-2025 season, achieving milestones never before reached in team history. At the Michigan SAE competition, the team passed the technical inspection on the first attempt, set a team record in Autocross with a 3rd-place podium finish (their first top-three ever), and completed Endurance without a single failure, a feat accomplished by only one other USC car. The team's exceptional design work and engineering prowess earned them a place in Design Finals, finishing 6th overall. Their latest accomplishment includes being one of 100 top-ranked teams from 19 countries chosen to compete in the international Formula SAE European Invitational held by the FIA, the governing body of all motorsports, including Formula 1. The team plans to attend this event in Italy and continue their success streak if they can fundraise enough money.