University of Utah students win NASA Lunobotics grand prize
A team of over 30 students from the University of Utah took home the prestigious grand prize from the NASA Lunobotics competition thanks to their robot. Their design won multiple awards and cemented many of the students' love of STEM, space and collaboration.
The team was comprised of students from the Utah Students Robotics club. To compete, the team had to apply for the competition. Out of 70 universities, the team was selected to be one of the 30 official competitors based on their project management plan. The competition was held at the University of Central Florida May 15-17.
Over the course of a year, the students prepared for the competition. Early on in the process, the students received a rubric and competition layout for what to expect. The teams then began working on the systems engineering paper, presentation demonstration and, most importantly, the robot itself.
'You are building a robot to compete in a simulated lunar environment,' explained Jeffrey Hansen, a University of Utah chemical and computer engineering student. 'The goal is to navigate through an obstacle zone and then do digging and dumping to build a berm.'
Judges look at numerous factors, including the size of the berm compared to the size and energy usage and the different amounts of autonomous operations. Those areas all contributed to the four main areas of scoring: the systems engineering paper, the outreach paper, the presentation demonstration and the construction competition. After competing at Florida, the top 10 teams are chosen to go to the Kennedy Space Center and compete for the grand prize.
The Utah-based team split into three different subteams, including mechanical, electrical and software teams. Supporting teams also included an admin and systems team. Frequent meetings, collaborations and trial and error were a must for the students. Hansen called their work an 'evolutionary design style.'
'We had a systems engineering approach. We did it a bit differently than we had done in the past,' Hansen elaborated. 'We decided to start with building a version of the robot that met the basic competition requirements. … Once we had that, we went through different versions to improve upon that design.'
Working with 30 students was no small feat. With so many minds hard at work, it was sometimes difficult to find the direction the team wanted to take. Additionally, the challenge was extremely open-ended. As long as the robot was under the specified maximum weight and dimensions, the robot could do anything. Digging systems, electronics, batteries and microcontrollers could all be chosen by the students.
Another key piece of the journey was the collaboration with the U. The students worked with the administration to build a lunar simulation to test the robot. The chance to practice before the competition was everything for the team.
'We didn't have (the simulation) done until close to the end of the year, but even that little bit of time helped,' Hansen said. 'It was quite a big process to get that approved.'
When they brought their robot to the competition, the team knew they had something special. After taking home the first place in presentation and demonstration, first place in STEM engagement and outreach, second place in construction, special recognition for exceptional use of systems engineering tools and various judges' awards, the team thought they may have a chance to compete in the top 10.
Their suspicions were correct. The team ecstatically welcomed the invitation to present their robot at the finals. After an excellent demonstration, the team was awarded the Artemis Award, or grand prize.
'The team just erupted in energy when we found out we won. It felt like we had accomplished everything we went there to do,' Hansen said. 'It was very emotional. It was so much work across a lot of time with so many people. It felt incredible to have all that work come together and walk on stage knowing we had done it.'
The experience has helped to shape the students' futures.
'It's been absolutely incredible for getting hands-on experience. … There are real-world applications of participating in this team that I would've never experienced in any of my classes,' Hansen said.
To supplement their work, the students also traveled around to numerous K-12 schools around Utah. Their presentations aimed to inspire the future generation of students to try new things, specifically in the STEM field.
'It's how we keep improving the world. It's how we've gotten to where we are today,' Hansen said. 'It's the most important thing out there.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Business News
7 hours ago
- Time Business News
Shaping the Future of Leadership: The Strategic Role of C-Suite Executive Recruiters in NYC's Innovation Economy
New York City is more than just a business hub—it's a breeding ground for innovation. From fintech startups in Flatiron to global media empires headquartered in Midtown, the city pulses with disruption, reinvention, and opportunity. But behind every transformative business model is a leadership team equipped to execute with clarity and conviction. That's why C-suite executive recruiters in NYC have become indispensable partners to organizations looking to build forward-thinking, high-impact leadership teams. As NYC continues to position itself as a global leader in technology, sustainability, life sciences, and AI-driven enterprise, the profile of its executive leaders is shifting. Today's CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, and CTOs must not only bring proven management expertise—they must also possess the vision to navigate uncharted terrain. Traditional leadership search models aren't always equipped to address these evolving demands. That's where niche C-suite executive recruiters in NYC come in. These firms specialize in identifying talent who are not just functional leaders but are also fluent in innovation, adaptable to change, and capable of aligning with both investor expectations and market disruptions. NYC companies operate at breakneck speed. Whether in finance, media, health tech, or retail, market shifts happen rapidly—and leadership decisions must keep pace. But that doesn't mean companies can afford to cut corners when hiring for the C-suite. Every executive hire affects company culture, investor confidence, and long-term strategy. Executive recruiters mitigate this risk by offering both speed and precision. They leverage deep networks, proprietary search methodologies, and psychological assessments to vet candidates not only for technical fit, but also for values alignment and long-term leadership potential. In a city where the wrong hire can make headlines—and the right one can shape an industry—this level of rigor matters. One of the most valuable assets C-suite executive recruiters in NYC bring to the table is access to passive talent—executives who are not actively job-hunting but are open to compelling, strategically aligned opportunities. These individuals rarely respond to job postings or recruiter cold calls. Instead, they rely on trusted relationships and discreet introductions. Recruiters with long-standing reputations in NYC's leadership circles know how to initiate these conversations, build trust, and guide top candidates through complex, high-stakes transitions. Another area where modern C-suite recruiters are having a tangible impact is in advancing leadership diversity. In an increasingly global and socially conscious market, companies are under pressure to build executive teams that reflect the diverse perspectives of their customer base, employees, and investors. The best NYC-based recruiters proactively cultivate diverse candidate pipelines and advise companies on how to remove bias from their hiring processes. This not only strengthens brand reputation but also enhances business outcomes. Studies consistently show that diverse leadership teams drive better innovation and financial performance—a critical advantage in NYC's competitive sectors. As a leading name among C-suite executive recruiters in NYC, BCL Search brings a modern, strategic approach to leadership hiring. By combining deep market insight, long-standing industry relationships, and a highly personalized search process, they help companies build leadership teams that are not just ready for today—but equipped for the future. Whether you're seeking a transformational CEO or a digitally savvy CMO, BCL Search delivers the strategic partnership needed to secure world-class executive talent. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Business Insider
7 hours ago
- Business Insider
Mistral AI CEO says AI's biggest threat is people getting lazy
As tech leaders continue to debate the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the job market, one CEO says the technology's biggest risk may be "deskilling." In an interview with The Times of London, Arthur Mensch, the CEO of the Paris-based firm Mistral AI, dismissed the idea that AI would lead to huge cuts to white-collar jobs, saying the bigger risk was that people may become progressively lazier as they increasingly rely on the tech to search for information. Speaking to the outlet at the VivaTech conference in Paris earlier this month, Mensch, who cofounded the open-source large language model developer alongside Guillaume Lample and Timothée Lacroix in April 2023, said that a key way to avoid this would be to ensure humans remained actively involved in reviewing and critiquing AI output. "It's a risk that you can avoid, if you think of it from a design perspective, if you make sure that you have the right human input, that you keep the human active," he said, adding that he believed it was important humans did not take AI output as the "truth." "You want people to continue learning," he continued. "Being able to synthesize information and criticize information is a core component to learning." Mensch, a former Google DeepMind researcher, also responded to recent warnings that AI poses a threat to white-collar jobs, including from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who recently said that AI could replace half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years. "I think it's very much of an overstatement," Mensch said, adding that he believed Amodei liked to "spread fear" about AI as a marketing tactic. Instead, Mensch said he thought AI would change white-collar jobs. "I do expect that we'll have more relational tasks because that's not something you can easily replace," he said.
New York Post
10 hours ago
- New York Post
Dog's ashes among dozens to rocket into orbit this weekend
Bone voyage! A beloved dog named Franz will take his final leap this weekend — into Earth's orbit. The yellow labrador's ashes will be on board the inaugural Perseverance Flight from Texas-based Celestis Inc., which is scheduled to launch around 5:30 p.m. Sunday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara, CA. 4 Franz was like a sibling to Elizabeth Moore before he died at age 13 in October 2020. Celestis, Inc Carrying a total of 166 titanium and aluminum capsules, each about a quarter to a half-inch in size and filled with DNA or cremated remains, the 23-foot-tall SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will take two trips around Earth's low orbit at a mind-boggling 17,000 mph. The space flight will last about three hours before the rocket — still carrying its priceless payload — re-enters the atmosphere and lands in the Pacific Ocean somewhere between Alaska and Hawaii, according to Celestis CEO and co-founder Charles Chafer. A recovery ship, which was already out at sea Friday in anticipation of the launch, 'will track the incoming rocket, hopefully get a visual on it, and then go pick it up out of the ocean,' Chafer explained. 4 The Texas-based company Celestis Inc.'s inaugural Perseverance Flight will take two trips around Earth's Lower Orbit after blastoff on Sunday. The capsules will first be transported to Germany, then, within two months, distributed back to the families, who each paid a whopping $3,500 to send their loved one to the stars. While the price to send Franz on the voyage was 'a lot more' than the pooch itself, his owner, Harvin Moore, said with a laugh, it was only fitting for the 'space-fanatic' Moore family to send the pup beyond the stratosphere. 'He was the best dog, just so soft and nice and loved hugs,' recalled Moore, 60, who lives in Dripping Springs, Texas, just outside Austin. 4 The Moore family can't wait to watch their beloved pooch go galactic. Celestis, Inc Franz, who was 13 when he died in October 2020, was more like a sibling than a pet to Moore's now 26-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, and son, Quinn, 21, he said. Now, the family can't wait to watch the good boy go galactic. 'The emotional power of being with a group of people who are celebrating the life of a loved one in this way … it's amazing. It's nothing we'll ever forget,' said Moore. 'It's just pure joy.' 4 The Perseverance Flight will carry a total of 166 titanium and aluminum capsules, ranging in size from a quarter to a half-inch, filled with DNA or cremated remains. Celestis, Inc 'Many people whose ashes and DNA are flying are people that always wanted to go to space in their lifetime but were never able to do that. It also helps families move from feelings of grief to joy,' Chafer said. The cremated remains of Wesley Dreyer — an aerospace engineer who helped investigate the cause of the Space Shuttle Challenger's shocking explosion after takeoff on Jan. 28, 1986 — will also be on board the Perseverance Flight, as well as DNA from a living, 3-year-old German boy.
