Capstone Projects: Student Guide | NYU Tandon School of Engineering

Capstone Projects: Student Guide

A cornerstone of our graduate program, the Capstone sequence fosters a two-semester collaboration between students and external sponsors.

Aerial View of a 50 students with their arms outstretched holding a sign that says Applied Urban Science Conference 2023

This guide is intended for students currently enrolled in the M.S. in Applied Urban Science and Informatics program at CUSP. If you are a professional interested in sponsoring a capstone project, please visit our Capstone Projects: Sponsor Guide for more information.

To gain a first-hand understanding of the research conducted during capstone projects at CUSP, we invite you to attend the Applied Urban Science Showcase on April 25, 2025.

RSVP for the 2025 Capstone Showcase
View the Capstone Directory

Overview

The Capstone Project is a cornerstone of the M.S. in Applied Urban Science and Informatics program, allowing students to apply advanced skills in AI, machine learning, and data science from their first year to address real-world urban challenges. Spanning the second-year required Urban Science Intensive I and II courses, the Capstone Project enables students to collaborate directly with a sponsoring company, government agency, nonprofit, or academic institution. This hands-on experience enhances both academic and professional development, ensuring a smooth transition into a successful career after graduation.

    Schedule

    The dates below are tentative and subject to change.

    Aug 1, 2025 Announcement of 2025-26 Capstone Sponsors
    Sept 3, 2025 Capstone (Urban Science Intensive I)Course Begins
    Sept 4 – 12 2025 Meet-and-Greet Sessions between Sponsors, Mentors, and Students (virtual allowed)
    Sept 12, 2025 Deadline for Students to Submit Project/Sponsor Preferences
    Sept 24, 2025 Announcement of Student Teams and Sponsor Matches
    Dec 2025 Student Teams Deliver Spring Milestone Presentations
    Jan 20, 2026 Capstone (Urban Science Intensive II) Course Begins
    April 2026 Applied Urban Science Showcase
    May 5, 2026 Deadline for Final Deliverable Submission

    Sponsor and Faculty Support

    Capstone sponsors and faculty mentors play a key role in guiding students through their projects. Sponsors provide real-world challenges and insights, while faculty offer technical expertise. Through regular check-ins, students receive mentorship that helps them refine their ideas and develop high-impact projects.

    Deliverables

    Deliverables are tailored to each project, ranging from analytic reports and web-based interactive visualizations to digital tools (hardware and software), technical reports, and policy solutions.

    Example projects include:

    • Smart Pedestrian Counter: Class of 2022 graduates Abdulaziz Alaql, Alec Bardey, Turbold Baatarchuluu, and Branden DuPont developed a machine learning model that counts pedestrians on low-powered devices for the Smart Cities + IoT Lab in the NYC Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer.
    • Augmented Reality Bus Locator App: Class of 2023 graduates Shantanu Anikhindi, Wanlingyi Lan, and Tianyi Li built an augmented reality app to streamline bus identification during morning departures for NYCSBUS.

    Previous Sponsors

    We've collaborated with leading organizations across industries to develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges facing cities.

    Showcase

    The Applied Urban Science Showcase, hosted annually in April, celebrates the exceptional work of graduating students from the M.S. in Applied Urban Science and Informatics program. Through a poster session or talk, students share their work with the CUSP community and the public.


    Two students in front of a screen that reads Objective, one speaking with their hands outstretched towards two seated onlookers.
    Two students in front of a screen, one pointing towards it and speaking in front of a seated audience.
    One student in front of a screen showing a London transit map and speaking with his arms outstretched.
    Two students and a sponsor standing to the right of a screen that reads Data Driven Model for Voltage Cable Fault in Rome
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    Professional Development

    As part of the Capstone curriculum, students gain access to career panels and entrepreneur workshops designed for expanding professional networks and exploring career opportunities. These events provide practical advice and guidance to enhance your post-graduation success, whether you're interested in pursuing a career in the public sector, private industry, or academia.

    FAQ

    Second-year students will enroll in Urban Science Intensive I during the Fall semester and Urban Science Intensive II in the Spring semester. Both courses are required and must be taken consecutively. Course registration dates are announced via email. Part-time students should plan accordingly to complete both courses consecutively in their final Fall and Spring semesters.

    At the start of the Fall semester in your second year, we will introduce a list of project sponsors, share videos that highlight their research questions, and organize meet-and-greet sessions. After completing a survey to assess your skills and preferences, you’ll be paired with a team of 3-5 graduate students and matched with a project sponsor. Assignment to one of your preferred projects is not guaranteed.

    Student teams are carefully formed to ensure a mix of skills and experience. While you may submit requests, team assignments based on your submitted preferences are not guaranteed.

    Class meetings are determined by the instructor, and are typically scheduled once a week from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

    Students should expect to dedicate at least 75 hours per semester to their Capstone Project outside of regularly scheduled class time.

    Contact

    Still have questions? Contact us at cusp.capstone@nyu.edu.