JSU Robotics Team Captures National Title

12/05/2014


Over Thanksgiving break, the JSU Robotics Team traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, where it placed first in the 14th annual Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE) Student Robotics Competition. It’s the second time the team has won since it was established four years ago.

The 17-member team had to design a robot able to compete in four Olympic events without manual adjustments – including kicking a mini football over a six-foot goalpost. Judges combined scores from competition with points for overall design, a poster session, and audience voting to determine the overall winner.

The team is advised by Terry Marbut, head of the Department of Technology and Engineering, and instructor Phillip Dean. Members include:

  • Blake Ray, President        
  • Jojo Barnes, Vice President                   
  • Justin Caswell, Treasurer     
  • Tina Civitello, Secretary                           
  • Drew Coffman                                              
  • John Hill                                                                   
  • Kacy Holsonback                                                                            
  • Damarcus Lawson                                                
  • Josie Mangum                                                                                
  • Steven Martinez                              
  • Sinh Nguyen                                                                                                   
  • John Norton                                                 
  • Joy Packard                                                        
  • Chris Pender                                                                                     
  • Aaron Rissler                                                 
  • Dexter Vernon                                                
  • Ryan Wise        

As a prize, the team received $100. Select members will receive a week of extensive industrial robotics training at Rixan Associates, which sponsored the competition. Membership to the JSU Robotics Team is open to students of all majors. For more information, contact Terry Marbut at 256-782-5034.

Photo: JSU Robotics Team (Angie Finley/JSU)