The MSMS Engineering Club traveled to Atlanta this past week to explore inventions that innovators and local engineers from across the United States had developed. There were a wide variety of booths present at the event that covered modern technology platforms such as robotics and 3D printing to other forms of engineering and tinkering such as welding and recyclable technology.

“It was really cool to see all the innovations that these engineers had thought of. I saw so many different types of 3D printers and robots that each had their own unique characteristics and spin. I also really appreciated the atmosphere of the event as a whole: one that was filled with excitement for the future. I really wish I could go again,” Jordan Stone, MSMS senior, stated. Many universities were also present at the event, specifically Emory, The Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia State University.

The event served as a nice and refreshing experience for students and faculty, and the students gained a great deal of knowledge and exposure from the event. “I was able to learn about robotics more because of this trip. I have been able to see a lot of different designs that other robotics teams have used in the past. And I was even able to see some small businesses and their manufacturing design for their product,” Daniel Smothers, Engineering Club President, stated.

The students also were allowed to explore a facility at Georgia Tech, specifically their “MakerSpace.” In this MakerSpace, students were allowed to see how the robotics teams at Georgia Tech built and prepared themselves for the various competitions that they are active in, and many students were very impressed by the facilities. “The MakerSpace was really really cool. I saw solar-powered cars and other robots that just seemed so advanced that I was in awe really. All the students over there seemed so knowledgeable. It kinda reminded me of my robotics class, and it has inspired me to learn even more about robotics,” Daniel Otaigbe, MSMS senior, stated.

This event will seem to serve as a precursor to even more interesting events in the future for Engineering Club, who plan to host many more of these trips in the future.