Level of Education of Students Involved

Undergraduate

Faculty Sponsor

Shahin Nudehi

College

College of Engineering (COE)

Discipline(s)

Engineering

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Symposium Date

Spring 4-24-2026

Abstract

Valparaiso University gives tours to massive numbers of prospective students of all ages on a yearly basis. For those interested in engineering, the solar furnace is a cool destination to showcase the specialized research done at the university; however, tour guides are not generally able to show any experiments actually taking place. In order to better impress younger audiences on the tours while still teaching them about solar power, we will develop a small solar oven to give quick demonstrations to roughly fifth through eighth grade students. This oven will concentrate sunlight in order to heat a small amount of popcorn, marshmallows, or other food items that well-visualize the application of heat. For winter days with less sunlight and overcast days, we will find an alternative heat source that allows the demonstration to be performed without sunlight. A live temperature reading of the heated surface will allow the demonstration to tie-in some associated equations that explain the mechanics of the process. This project will give tour guides an additional tool to capture the attention of a young, easily distracted audience and increase their interest in solar energy and Valpo engineering.

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