Published: 03/23/2023
Members of GUBotDev produce projects and currently fulfill contract work orders from the Maker Lab located on the third floor of I-HACK.
Gannon University’s Robotics and Development club, GUBotDev, was awarded $10,000 from the Norwalk Havoc Robot League’s (NHRL) 2023 College and University Robotics Grant Opportunity. This grant opportunity was discovered and completed by GUBotDev treasurer and Senior Makerspace Technician Dan Rutkowski with assistance from Club President Austin Lippert, students in Gannon’s School of Engineering and Computing.
A key member of the team helping to prepare the new sixth floor MakerSpace in I-HACK, Rutkowski’s achievement with the NHRL grant is just the latest example of his dedication to the cause.
"Thanks to this grant, Gannon's Intelligent Ground Vehicle team will be heading to their competition this June,” says Rutkowski. “They will be representing Gannon's engineering students at a national level. We also have enough funding to start a brand-new combat robotics team to continue Gannon's re-entry to competitive engineering. Plus, any leftover funds will be used to create a student project fund, giving our talented students the opportunity to bring their own amazing projects to life right here on campus."
The funds will be allocated to help various aspects of GUBotDev’s mission for robotics development including:
Funding for the IGV team;
Establishing a Battle Bot style team;
Support for the Student Project Fund, which will aid in financing small, student-driven projects that do not fall under a class or faculty research.
Lippert is humbled and grateful to announce the award alongside his team.
“This opportunity is a reflection of the dedication and passion our team has poured into our projects,” says Lippert. “With this grant, we can take on bigger challenges and gain invaluable experience beyond the classroom. I couldn't be prouder of our team and can't wait to see what we can achieve together."
Members of GUBotDev produce projects and currently fulfill contract work orders from the Maker Lab located on the third floor of I-HACK. The current lab has multiple 3D printers with capabilities to produce multi-function project pieces from a variety of materials and resources. The I-HACK’s sixth floor Center for Manufacturing and Technology will soon house a second robust and versatile MakerSpace to enhance students’ hands-on experiences and project development with capabilities such as additive manufacturing, metal fabrication, woodworking and more. The new floor is expected to open in Fall 2023.
For more information on joining GUBotDev or to sign up for notifications for upcoming events, email makerspace@gannon.edu.