22 DT U B lue Dot Proj e c ts DTU Blue Dot Projects – the umbrella title for innovative, student-run projects at DTU. viewed from space—in the same way as big ideas can look small and manageable when viewed from the outside, but are actually quite complex when seen from the inside. ‘Blue Dot’ thus also refers to the engineers’ overview and capacity to see the bigger picture while dealing with the details. Louise S imonsen To find out more about DTU Blue Dot projects, visit: www.ecocar.dk www.solardecathlon.dk www.dtusat.dtu.dk www.bryghus.dtu.dk (in Danish) www.dtu.dk/subsites/robocup.aspx (in Danish) DTU Blue Dot Projects DTU Blue Dot Projects are interdisciplinary, experimental projects run by students who first of all will provide proposals for creative solutions to the challenges of the planet and the future and, secondly, create interest in the engineering profession and contribute to its identity. photos Thorkild Amdi Christensen The DTU eco-car, the winner of several world titles in sustainable urban driving by covering 612,3 km on the equivalent of a single litre of petrol. A student-designed satellite which, from space, can track the movements and navigation skills of the cuckoo in collaboration with the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen. A sustainable brewery that produces tasty and CO2-friendly beer. DTU RoboCup, an annual competition in which robots designed and programmed by students tackle a challenging obstacle course. An energy-plus-house that generates more energy than it consumes, built of sustainable materials and marketed at an affordable price. All these projects are a part of DTU Blue Dot Projects, and a trait they all share is that they are largely run by DTU students who devote both time and commitment to the projects, which also create high visibility, help inspire others and thus contribute to attracting new students to DTU. Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs Martin Vigild explains: “DTU students who participate in a Blue Dot Project are given every opportunity to convert their theoretical knowledge into practical applications. All the projects are heavily based on engineering skills, so the students must have a good grasp of the theory. At the same time, they have to make things work ‘in real life’, which is, of course, the primary task of the engineer. In return, the students gain all kinds of benefits: they work in teams across disciplines, they have the chance to work with industry partners, and they learn both project management and problem solving in practice.” As a result, students earn credits for participating in Blue Dot projects. This means that participation in these projects counts as part of their education and triggers ECTS credit points. The name ‘Blue Dot’ refers to the planet Earth which, even though it is huge, looks like a little blue dot when Technical University of Denmark
Final-DTU_in_Profile_2013_web
To see the actual publication please follow the link above