From StarkVegas to Las Vegas: MSU team wins top awards at robotics competition with Bully Bot
Contact: Bethany Shipp
STARKVILLE, Miss.—A team of 12 Mississippi State students received national recognition this fall for their innovative Bully Bot robot design during the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering's Student Division Robotics Competition in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The students are members of MSU's ATMAE chapter, represent the industrial technology program in the College of Education and joined participating universities from across the country in the competition at the annual conference.
The MSU team won the Best Mechanical/Manufacturing Design Award, judged on materials used, documentation, functionality, innovative use of technology and overall design. The People's Choice Award, voted on by all conference attendees, also went to the MSU team.
Additionally, senior Tommy Avery of Eupora won first place and a $300 prize in the Haig Vahradian Student IT/IQ Challenge, a "Jeopardy"-style competition based on topics taught nationally in industrial technology programs.
Student participants include:
Tommy Avery, senior, Eupora
Britton Bailey, senior, Vardaman
Tyler Boedecker, sophomore, Water Valley
Trey Jeffreys, senior, Detroit, Alabama
Bailey Martin, junior, Brandon
Ryan Montgomery, junior, Mobile, Alabama
Brendan Pernell, senior, Greenwood
Ivy Renfroe, senior, Madison
Henry Shurlds, senior, Maben
Danny Tran, senior, Memphis, Tennessee
Caleb Windham, junior, Bassfield
Isaiah Wren, senior, Shannon
The students spent two months designing, building and programming the Bully Bot this fall. The body of the robot was 3D-printed on campus, and Taylor Machine Works, Inc. cut arm, base and top pieces for the lifting mechanism. The team received monetary support from East Mississippi Lumber Company; Renfroe & Perilloux, PLLC; and True Grit, Inc.
Faculty members involved include industrial technology instructors Denise Adair, Jody Buchanan, Mickey Giordano and Lara Threet. Buchanan is the faculty advisor for MSU's ATMAE chapter and recently served as the national vice president of the student division, which hosts and organizes the conference's robotics competition and student events. Buchanan is slated to be president for the next two years, and Threet will take over as vice president of the student division.
"We had an awesome trip with a great group of students," Buchanan said. "These students had the opportunity to compete against students from across the country, and they definitely rose to the challenge. Congrats to all!"
MSU's College of Education is home to five academic departments, a division of education, one research unit and numerous service units. Learn more about its Department of Industrial Technology, Instructional Design and Community College Leadership at www.itidccl.msstate.edu.
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