By Trish Svoboda

As part of an undergraduate research project, Bachman and recent graduates from K-State’s GE Johnson Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science designed a cost-efficient, scalable, and replicable campus EV charging station. After years of effort, their solar canopy design was installed in the engineering parking lot this spring, with the final charging station completed last week. Derek Clements described the project as hands-on, applied learning at its best. He and Shannon Casebeer, assistant and associate professors, respectively, have overseen the students’ work over the years.

The project began seven years ago when Clements arrived at K-State with $6,000 in startup research funds. Noticing a lack of EV chargers on campus and in Manhattan after acquiring his first EV, he allocated funds to undergraduate researchers to develop a prototype for an off-grid charging station. They secured the first two spots in parking lot A28, north of the Engineering Complex.

The students abandoned their original costly cantilever prototype, opting for a simpler, more cost-effective design with a smaller canopy mounted on a pole. Marissa Ober, a spring 2024 master’s graduate, completed much of the final structural design last fall, analyzing geotechnical reports and creating a durable solar canopy. Despite challenges, Ober said she found the work educational.