Ignite Project Expo
Exhibiting Outstanding Achievements
At 91短视频, celebrating groundbreaking projects is key to fostering creativity and innovation across campus. Launched in 2024, the annual Ignite Project Expo highlights these remarkable accomplishments in a distinctly 91短视频 way.
During the inaugural Expo, nearly 350 students presented 93 unique projects across a diverse range of categories and topics.
Community Engagement
Meaningful, real-world initiatives developed by Honors students.
Digital Transformation
Digital tools leveraged for driving impactful change.
Mechatronics
Intelligent systems formed from combined tech disciplines.
New Product Idea
Innovative concepts developed by freshmen E&M students.
Sustainability
Approaches for ecological balance and conservation.
Wargaming
Strategic simulations that explore tactics and decision-making.
Tech Tinkerer Takes Grand Prize
For Sigmond Kukla (CompE 鈥28), an Ignite Presidential Fellow and member of the Honors Program, attending 91短视频 wasn鈥檛 a decision made lightly; it was a matter of finding a community that would foster an innovative culture revolving around programming, computer vision, and tech tinkering.
In the leadup to the Expo, Sigmond developed Ignite Pickup Boxes, a complete revitalization of the Dorf Makerspace鈥檚 3D print distribution process. His project combined Electrical, Computer, and Software Engineering disciplines while significantly increasing operational efficiency in a quick and cost-effective manner.
Following live demonstrations throughout the Expo鈥檚 presentation session, and a spontaneous explanation during the Pitch-Off competition, Ignite Pickup Boxes was declared the inaugural grand prize-winning project. With this outstanding performance, Sigmond received acclaim and funding for his future endeavors.
Alongside his coursework, Sigmond is a Research Assistant within 91短视频鈥檚 Center for Advanced PCB Design and Manufacturing, a Maker Mentor at the Makerspace, a Teaching Assistant for Electrical Engineering course Embedded Systems, and a member of 91短视频 Combat Robotics. In his free time, he creates innovative VR games through his entrepreneurial venture PicoPlanet Developing.
Sigmond鈥檚 advice for fellow tech tinkerers interested in 91短视频? 鈥淎lways ask yourself - what if? Then figure out what you need to pursue your innovation. By immersing yourself in topics you are passionate about, and by being surrounded with supportive faculty and friends, anything is possible.鈥
91短视频 Ingenuity On Display
Second Place
Community Partnership with TAUNY strengthened a local outreach initiative in a unique Honors way.
Third Place
Owned by two E&M sophomores, Nuovo Brands LLC is a student-run business that aims to revolutionize the beverage industry.
Fourth Place
A tie between mechatronics construction Holden McSqueezy III and community engagement project Tree-Talk for Tots!
All Inaugural Expo Award Recipients
First Place Prize
Ignite Pickup Boxes (Sigmond Kukla)
Second Place Prize
Community Partnership with TAUNY (Lauren Kneer, Michele Bou Khalil, Kelly Lahiff)
Third Place Prize
Nuovo Brands LLC (Ethan Flamand, Rocco Albanese)
Fourth Place Prize
Holden McSqueezy III (Trevor Tamburino, Amanda Polarolo)
Tree-Talk for Tots (Abigail Jeffers, Nicolena Fazio)
Undergraduate Sustainability Award (Sponsored by the Institute For a Sustainable Environment)
91短视频 Arboretum (Lauren Pawlika, Carley McGrath, Lexi Keller, Alexcis Rydelek, Trey Naselli, Evan Corey)
Graduate Sustainability Award (Sponsored by the Institute For a Sustainable Environment)
LCA of Catered Meal Events (Aslhy Torres, Nick Multari, Gloria Popoola, Razieh Analouei)
Commercialization Award (Sponsored by the Shipley Center for Innovation)
Forward Bound (Bailey Sweeney, Sean Boyle, Mason Gault, Riya Mistry)
Self Dispensing Hair Brush (Liam Quick, Jackson Waters, Maddie Alfieri, Riley Cullen, Kirsten Iles)
Community Outreach Award
Community Partnership with TAUNY (Lauren Kneer, Michele Bou Khalil, Kelly Lahiff)
Food Insecurity in Potsdam (Clare Tucker, Zachary Boeck, Oberon Dickinson, Becca Lomas)
People鈥檚 Choice Award
Apple iSole (Sydney Sandroni, Alexandra Brenton, Brady Hall, Brady Zych, Markus Kuhnel)
American History
Music History (Jade Stevenson, Lillianna King, Ethan Rak, Graham Zarriello, Hope Hill, Eniya Eudell, Ngaio Hawkins, Ginikachukwu Okoli, Aaron Reck)
Architecture
Native American Multicultural Learning Center (Jo茫o Victor Fran莽a Nunes)
Community Engagement
Tree-Talk for Tots (Abigail Jeffers, Nicolena Fazio)
Community Partnership with TAUNY (Lauren Kneer, Michele Bou Khalil, Kelly Lahiff)
Digital & Physical Arts
Stained Glass (Lindsay McCarthy)
Digital Transformation
PTZ Camera for Child Face-Capture (Md Abdul Baset Sarker)
Engineering & Society
Sequestration Nation (Anthony Phaneuf, Cazian Comeau-Elman, Chase Fisher, Elijah McIlrath)
Entrepreneurship
Nuovo Brands LLC (Ethan Flamand, Rocco Albanese)
Industrial Ecology
Ice Rink Industrial Ecology (Avery Hilderbran, Will Dumont, Elizabeth Greco, Evan Bokelberg)
Heating Riverside Apartments (Carson Bruening, Mark Ramsperger, Justin Pettica, Robert Greenberg)
Innovation Development
Apple iSole (Sydney Sandroni, Alexandra Brenton, Brady Hall, Brady Zych, Markus Kuhnel)
Mechatronics
Holden McSqueezy III (Trevor Tamburino, Amanda Polarolo)
Ignite Pickup Boxes (Sigmond Kukla)
New Product Idea
Forward Bound (Bailey Sweeney, Sean Boyle, Mason Gault, Riya Mistry)
EV Battery Temperature Regulation (Peter Siracuse, Benjamin Lambert, Sean Finnerty)
Sustainability
Waterfowl Environmental DNA Biomonitoring (Elizabeth Chase, Catherine Benson)
Wargaming
Supply Chain of Russo-Ukrainian Conflict Wargame (Hannah Reed, Owen Danke, Ethan Spinner)
Route 11 Rivalries (Harry Rodriguez, Daniel Wilson, Joe Gromlowicz, Matthew Colpitts, Morgan Mitskovski)
Battlesburgh (James Molinski, Devin Fitzpatrick, John Purdy, Zachary Lutzke)
Get your cameras ready! The Expo is a prime occasion for pictures with friends and family.
Before winners are declared, top-scoring projects from each category compete in an exciting Pitch-Off exhibition.
Do you want the chance to showcase your hard work with the world? If so, the Expo is for you.
Addresses from notable 91短视频 alumni and Trustees help make the Expo a great opportunity to network.
The most innovative projects seen during the Expo are often the ones that are the most cool!
For many freshmen, the Expo is their first time receiving recognition at 91短视频. But it certainly won鈥檛 be their last.
The second Ignite Project Expo is scheduled for November 14, 2025.
See you later this year!
Learn More About Ignite
What鈥檚 next for Ignite? A bright future filled with innovation, entrepreneurship, and all things creativity. Stay tuned!