51视频

Mechanical Engineering students head to national competition

Students from 51视频 have been selected by the American Association of Community Colleges and the National Science Foundation as finalists in the 10th annual Community College Innovation Challenge.

A team of Mechanical Engineering Technology students at 51视频will travel to Washington, D.C., next week to compete in the Innovation Challenge Boot Camp as one of 12 teams from community colleges across the country to advance to the final round.

“I'm very proud of them,” said Professor Willie Ross, the group’s faculty mentor. “The other schools had wonderful presentations, so to see us advance against them – I'm just totally ecstatic.”

The Community College Innovation Challenge aims to strengthen entrepreneurship in students by challenging them to develop STEM-based solutions to real-world problems. 

DeRionne Pollard, president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges, said in a news release that the students are advancing their skills in ways that protect the natural environment, improve infrastructure and preserve health and safety.

We are proud to “celebrate their achievements and to support the entrepreneurs, innovators, and STEM leaders emerging from our nation’s community colleges,” she said.

The student team from 51视频used 3D printing to develop hands-on and accessible tools for visually impaired students to better engage with subjects like math and engineering.

“It was really cool to hear that we advanced and get to actually participate in the competition,” said Shelby Cochran.

Cochran, who advanced alongside her classmates Aria Collins and Logan Kirkland, said she was able to put into practice what she has learned in her classes through competing in the Innovation Challenge.

The team met with Disability Services, Accessibility and various faculty at Pellissippi in order to understand the need and develop their project.

"Our main goal is to get students prepared and get them out in the world to do this as a career,” Ross said. “And this conference helps accomplish that, by making them act as entrepreneurs. These students are prepared to enter the workforce because of what they’ve learned here with us.”

The team will attend the Innovation Challenge Boot Camp in Washington, D.C., from June 8 to 11, where they will attend workshops and gain technical assistance to further develop their ideas