Capstone Project
All students in the online Master of Infrastructure Planning & Management program complete a capstone project. This two-quarter project allows you to synthesize the knowledge you've gained by conducting research and applying it to a real-world infrastructure problem.
Planning and Execution
Students are encouraged to start contemplating a capstone topic as soon as they enter the program. All program instructors, your program adviser, employer and fellow students are all potential sources of input, ideas and feedback on your topic selection.
Capstones can be a traditional research project or set up as an experiential learning experience. For experiential learning, we can help you identify a partner organization to work with for the duration of the project. It's important that you notify the capstone instructors at the start of your second year in the program if you want to do an experiential project.
In winter quarter of your second year, you’ll finalize your topic and outline a timetable for the research required to complete the project by the end of spring quarter. You’ll carry out the majority of the research and the writing of the project in spring quarter. Although capstones are individual projects, the work is semi-collaborative and students will give and receive feedback throughout the process.
Capstone Project Examples
Final capstone topics can vary tremendously. Below is a list of recent capstone projects by infrastructure field related topics. Once you apply to our program, if you have an interest in seeing a sample capstone project, please email a request to mipm@uw.edu. This list is provided as a way to understand the variety of topics that the program can support through the capstone experience.
Communications/Cyber Security
Public Sector Preparedness for Use and Governance of Artificial Intelligence (2024)
Improving Holistic Security Through Business Continuity for Response to Cyber Security Incidents (2016)
Emergency Management/Resiliency/Housing
Is increasing tree canopy Seattle’s best solution for reducing environmental inequalities in low-resourced neighborhoods? (2023)
An Analysis of Social Infrastructure, Community Resilience and Recovery (2022)
Preparing for the Next Hurricane: Improving Resiliency and Preparedness for Savannah, GA (2018)
Energy
Sustainable Architecture and Addressing Climate Change (2022)
The Impacts of Urbanization and Climate Change on Coastal Communities in South Florida (2022)
Distributed Generation: Challenges Facing Integration of Energy Resilience (2019)
Sub-Saharan Microgrids: An Approach to Addressing Energy Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa (2018)
Finance
The Pre-Investment Phase of the Infrastructure Project Cycle in Latin America and the Caribbean (2014)
Food Systems
Examining the Roles of Cooperative Grocery Stores as a Tool for Local Food System Planning (2018)
Resilience as a Function of the Relationship Between Emergency Management and the Food System (2015)
Public Health
Public Health, Transportation, and Climate Implications of Removing New York City’s FDR Highway Viaduct (2023)
Transportation
Public Health, Transportation, and Climate Implications of Removing New York City’s FDR Highway Viaduct (2023)
Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Flood Management: The Application of Coastal Development and Land Reclamation as a Resiliency Strategy in Lower Manhattan (2024)
Transportation-Oriented Development Solutions for California's Housing Shortages (2019)
Water Resources Management
From Theory to Practice: Using Soft Systems Methodology to Address Complex Challenges in Wastewater Infrastructure Planning (2024)
Africa’s Water Infrastructure and Financing Gaps; Are Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) the leverage needed to close the gaps? (2023)
Accounting for Climate Change Impacts on Transnational Rivers Transecting the Netherlands (2019)
Case for Improving Davenport, Iowa's CRS Score to a Class 5 (2018)
Reexamining Justification for Floodplain Acquisition (2018)
Green Infrastructure: Stormwater and Big Business, a Changing Landscape (2017)