Join us for the STEAM Café this month! Presented by Lorie Vega, deputy director for the 28th Mission Support Group at Ellsworth Air Force Base, and student teams from South Dakota Mines

Through capstone and senior design projects, teams of Mines students have been working with Ellsworth Air Force Base (EAFB) on solving problems the base faces. These projects have positively impacted EAFB’s mission and can potentially benefit military assets beyond EAFB. This presentation will highlight two recent projects:
• “Contracting Dashboard” – This team works with EAFB’s contracting office to develop an internal and external tracking system for the millions of dollars in contracts the base handles yearly. The team aims to replace the existing cumbersome Excel file with a user-friendly, efficient dashboard that allows EAFB staff and contractors to update and view information on contract status.
• “Counter-Drone Assessment” – In conjunction with EAFB’s security forces personnel, this team uses a specially designed drone to attempt to enter EAFB airspace undetected by varying the drone’s frequencies, height of flight, etc. The program provides a detailed analysis of existing gaps and vulnerabilities in EAFB’s ability to detect and counteract unauthorized drones, which pose a threat to military assets across the world.