Electrical and computer engineering students are encouraged to participate in one or more student organizations within the Department and College. Such participation provides an opportunity to enhance the academic experience both professionally and socially. Students acquire valuable leadership, communication, and organizational skills, sharpen problem-solving and decision-making skills, and learn to work as a member of a team as a result of this involvement.
College-wide organizations in which students may participate include Tau Beta Pi, national engineering honor society; the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers; the Engineering Student Council; the National Society of Black Engineering; and the Society of Women Engineers.
Several student organizations welcome students from multiple engineering disciplines. These include the Society for Manufacturing Engineers, the UK Solar Car Team and The American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Eta Kappa Nu national electrical engineering honor society is an international organization whose purpose is to recognize the achievements of outstanding undergraduates, graduate students, and distinguished professionals in the field of electrical engineering. Eligibility is determined not only by scholastic excellence, but also by personal character, voluntary service and distinguished achievements. With the honor of membership comes the responsibility of putting the skills to work for the betterment of the engineering profession and of society.
Most electrical and computer engineering students join the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the international professional society for electrical engineers and the largest technical professional society in the world. The goal of IEEE is to enhance the quality of life for all people through improved public awareness of the influences and applications of technology, and to advance the standing of the engineering profession and its members. Student chapter activities include monthly seminars featuring practicing engineers, the robot mouse design competition, student paper competition, and participation in the regional student conference, SoutheastCON.
The University of Kentucky Solar Car team is an independent, student-led organization that operates on the campus of UK. With a large and active student body, the team works during the school year to design and construct solar vehicles, which are used in STEM outreach, and to compete in national solar car competitions which include the Formula Sun Grand Prix and the American Solar Challenge.
SpaceLex is the University of Kentucky’s first ever rocketry and rocket propulsion team. As a skilled group from almost every discipline of engineering, SpacLex works to develop sounding rockets built to test the limits of modern spaceflight. Their vehicles are all designed and built from scratch by students, including the hand-wrapped carbon fiber airframes, the handmade flight computers, the machined engines, and their tested solid fuel. With every project they develop, they seek to be the first at it. They are the first rocketry team to design a special, high strength zylon composite as a rocket airframe and are currently working to be the first team to 3D print an entire rocket engine.
