Mouser Electronics launches Circuit Showdown Design Contest with university engineering students
Mouser Electronics, a distributor of electronic components and new product introductions, has announced its sponsorship of the Circuit Showdown Design Contest.
Produced by eeDesignIt, the competition features university engineering students tackling design challenges over a four-episode series. The first two episodes premiered on 8th October 8, with the final episode scheduled for 22nd October in the USA.
The competition highlights the skills of three engineering students: Charles Morales from Texas State University, Michael Vidales from Prairie View A&M University, and Renee Wrysinski from Rice University.
According to Raymond Yin, Mouser's Director of Technical Content, the competition offers a platform for students to demonstrate their engineering talents. He explained:
"Our intent with this competition is to really put these engineering students' talents on display. As any working engineer can tell you, technical obstacles can pop up in even the most well-planned projects. A competition like this, requiring quick design decisions, truly showcases these students' problem-solving ability in real-time."
Competition support and partnerships
The components for the contest are provided by Mouser’s manufacturer partners, including Arduino, Keysight Technologies, Molex, Renesas Electronics, and Vishay.
The judging panel comprises notable industry figures such as Massimo Banzi, Co-founder of Arduino; Chris Moore, CEO of FIRST; and Kirk Ulery, Business Development Manager for Transportation Solutions at Molex. The competition is hosted by Bryan DeLuca and Nicolette Emmino of eeDesignIt.
Rachael Weaver, Mouser’s Supplier Marketing Director, highlighted the importance of involving supplier partners in the judging process:
"It was important to find the correct judges for this competition with our lineup of supplier sponsors, as their products will be integrated into the contestant's projects. The supplier judges are the authority on these parts, making them the ideal appraisers of the final designs."
Mouser’s own Raymond Yin also participated as a technical mentor, providing guidance to the contestants.
The contest offers substantial rewards for the top performers. The Grand Prize winner will receive $10,000, a $1,000 credit on mouser.com, and a Keysight lab bench valued at $6,000.
The Runner-Up will earn $5,000, a $500 mouser.com credit, and a Keysight oscilloscope valued at $1,500. The contestant in third place will be awarded a $250 mouser.com credit and a Keysight Digital Multimeter.
