Creative Projects
08. Creative Engineering Projects: Building a Water Filtration Innovation Portfolio
Aisha Robinson, environmental engineering programs want to see more than strong grades and test scores—they want evidence that you think like an engineer. That means identifying a real environmental problem, designing a system to address it, testing it under different conditions, and documenting the results. The committee flagged the opportunity for you to demonstrate this type of engineering thinking through a hands-on project centered on water filtration and microplastic capture.
The goal of the projects below is not simply to “build something.” The objective is to produce a documented engineering process: prototype design, experimentation, performance data, and measurable environmental impact. By the time you apply, you should have a portfolio that shows how you approach real environmental systems problems.
Project 1: Microplastic Capture Prototype for Stormwater Systems
Urban storm drains are a major pathway for microplastics entering waterways. A project focused on designing a small-scale filtration system that could be installed in a storm drain or runoff channel would align strongly with environmental engineering.
The central challenge is designing a filtration mechanism that captures microplastics without blocking water flow during heavy rainfall. Your project would focus on testing different materials and filter geometries to optimize both filtration efficiency and flow rate.
Engineering Objectives
- Capture microplastics while maintaining strong water flow
- Test multiple filter materials and mesh sizes
- Measure filtration efficiency across controlled experiments
- Iterate the design based on performance data
Prototype Build Plan
- Design a modular filtration cartridge that fits inside a small drainage channel or water container.
- Create filter layers using combinations of mesh screens, activated carbon, and fine fabric membranes.
- Construct the housing using 3D printing or laser-cut acrylic so the filter components can be swapped easily.
- Simulate stormwater flow using a water pump and controlled flow container.
Technical Stack
- CAD: Fusion 360 or Onshape for prototype design
- Data analysis: Python (Pandas + Matplotlib) or Excel
- Documentation: GitHub repository with experiment logs
- Optional sensors: flow meter or turbidity sensor
Experimental Testing
You would test the filtration system using water samples mixed with different concentrations of microplastic particles (for example ground plastic fragments or microbeads). Each prototype iteration should measure:
- Water flow rate
- Percentage of particles captured
- Clogging over time
- Durability of filter materials
This project directly demonstrates the kind of design-and-test process used by environmental engineers when developing water treatment systems.
Project 2: Community Water Filtration Performance Study
The second project focuses on environmental data collection. Instead of only building a prototype, you would also analyze how filtration systems perform in real-world conditions.
You would create a structured dataset measuring filtration performance and water quality improvements across several installation or testing sites. Even if these installations are small experimental setups, the key value is systematic data collection.
Dataset Structure
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Location ID | Unique identifier for each installation site |
| Filter Design | Which prototype version is used |
| Flow Rate | Water flow through the system |
| Particle Count (Before) | Microplastic concentration before filtration |
| Particle Count (After) | Microplastic concentration after filtration |
| Capture Efficiency | Percentage reduction |
| Maintenance Interval | How often the filter requires cleaning or replacement |
Over time, this dataset becomes a core piece of your engineering portfolio. Colleges value applicants who not only build prototypes but also gather structured evidence about system performance.
Project 3: Engineering Documentation Portfolio
The most important piece of this work is documentation. Admissions reviewers often see students claim they “built a project,” but the strongest applicants show the engineering process behind it.
Your documentation should clearly demonstrate experimentation, iteration, and measurable system performance.
GitHub Repository Structure
- /design – CAD models and prototype diagrams
- /experiments – testing protocols and results
- /data – structured dataset of filtration performance
- /analysis – Python scripts or spreadsheets analyzing results
- /build-guide – step-by-step instructions to recreate the system
Each experiment should include:
- Prototype version number
- Test conditions
- Measured performance
- Design flaws discovered
- Changes implemented in the next iteration
Showing how your design improved over multiple versions demonstrates authentic engineering thinking.
Final Deliverable: Environmental Engineering Portfolio
By the time applications open, the goal is to have a small but polished engineering portfolio that includes:
- A working filtration prototype
- A dataset documenting filtration performance
- A documented engineering build process
- A short technical report explaining the system and results
This type of project helps admissions officers see how you approach environmental engineering problems: identifying pollution sources, designing technical systems, and validating solutions with data.
Portfolio Presentation Strategy
You should organize the project into a simple digital portfolio. This can be hosted through GitHub Pages or a small personal website. The structure should include:
- Problem statement: microplastic pollution in stormwater
- Engineering design process
- Prototype development
- Experimental data and results
- Future improvements
Clear diagrams, photos of prototypes, and data visualizations will make the work far more compelling than text alone.
Monthly Build Timeline (Junior Year → Summer)
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Aisha Robinson, if executed well, this project becomes more than a science experiment. It demonstrates how you approach environmental engineering challenges: identifying pollution sources, designing filtration technology, measuring real performance, and iterating toward better solutions. That type of documented engineering process is exactly what selective engineering programs look for when evaluating applicants.