Four MSOE students had the opportunity to compete in Make48’s first-ever Women in STEM event. The all-female challenge brought in teams from across the U.S. for a weekend of rapid ideation and hands-on prototyping, all completed within a 48-hour period. 

MSOE’s team Raiders in Construction—Alexis Fleegel, Tahlia Fish, Amelia Brandt and Olivia Beals—competed at the Kansas City Art Institute along with six other teams. The four students are also members of MSOE’s student organization Women in Construction.

The challenge theme for this first-ever event was “The Great Escape.” Teams were tasked with designing creative and functional solutions to make the ultimate she shed experience. The teams had access to expert tool technicians along with high-tech equipment for building their prototype.

Raiders in Construction had to create a sales sheet, produce a 1-minute marketing video and pitch their idea to a panel of judges along with their completed prototype. Although the team did not win, they learned valuable skills that are applicable to their education and experiences beyond the classroom.

The team was sponsored by Women Developing WI, BioForward and Sunset Investors.