SUNY Broome students explain the Green van project and show voltage readouts from the school's solar panels.

SUNY Broome students explain the Green van project and show voltage readouts from the school’s solar panels.

During the summer, Engineering Science major Brandon McCreary kept busy — by printing and assembling his own remote-controlled airplane.

For about $20 worth of materials, he used his own 3-D printer to print the panels that make up the device, and then wired it and programmed the controller. All told, it took about 100 hours of printing. It’s not the first thing he has built, either; he also assembled the 3-D printer itself.

The project was more than a fun hobby: It was a way to prove his engineering skills to potential employers — and helped him land an internship at Lockheed Martin.

“It’s really important not just to study engineering, but to do engineering,” McCreary explained during SUNY Broome’s second annual STEM/Engineering Open House, where his project was on display. He plans to transfer to Binghamton University this fall to study mechanical engineering, and then earn a master’s degree in business.

Students talk with local employers during the STEM/Engineering Open House.

Students talk with local employers during the STEM/Engineering Open House.

The open house featured local companies, including Raymond Corp., Amphenol, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and Delta Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors. In addition to interactive displays, the employers talked to students about job and internship opportunities, encouraging them to send their resumes along.

BAE Systems also brought its electric bus, which was on display next to SUNY Broome’s Green Van. The projects are actually linked: The Green Van uses the same batteries as the electric bus, which were donated by BAE Systems.

SUNY Broome’s IEEE student club took the broken and retired electric utility van, transforming it into a highly efficient racing machine that aced  the Toyota Green Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International Raceway last year. The team — including driver and computer science major Mike DiGiacomo — will compete at the event again on April 13.

Engineering Brandon McCreary used a #-D printer to make his own remote-controlled airplane.

Engineering Brandon McCreary used a #-D printer to make his own remote-controlled airplane.

“Our big goal this year is to use full solar power,” DiGiacomo explained to visitors at the STEM open house.

While the van already has a solar panel on the roof, the team will charge the batteries using the solar panels installed on the Applied Technologies Building before they leave for the competition. DiGiacomo demonstrated to visitors a panel reading the current voltages of the AT solar collectors — a bit low on a gray, rainy day.

The BAE Systems electric bus next to SUNY Broome's Green Van

The BAE Systems electric bus next to SUNY Broome’s Green Van