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Kent State Today will be following a group of six Golden Flashes for the 2024-25 academic year chronicling their efforts and successes during the fall and spring semesters. The group of students are at various places in their Kent State University academic careers and will share their experiences throughout the year as they take part in our distinctive programs, research and global experiences.

When Kent State Today last spoke with junior mechatronics engineering technology student Jude Carver, he was preparing to enter his ‘bot, “Gondola” in Kent State’s Annual Competition in March. But issues with timing derailed Gondola’s entry into the ‘bot battles.

The first issue was in planning the CAD assembly file that would make sure Carver’s ‘bot would function and fight. “It was a big project, and I feel like I didn’t start early enough. I ran out of time,” he said. “It was going to take too long to print; it takes two days to print the body of a robot.”

Also, some essential parts that Carver had ordered online were not going to be delivered in time for him to assemble Gondola.

Getting Back on Track

He was disappointed that he could not compete in the ‘bot battles, but he said learned from the experience and plans to use this extra time to build his ‘bot even better. “I did understand that it was more time to get ready, because if you succeeded in every situation, you’d learn nothing,” Carver said. “I took note of what really caused this downfall, so I know what to fix next time.”

The 'bot’s name, “Gondola” combines Carver’s interest in robotics and trains. A gondola is a long, low rectangular train car that carries cargo. 

“So, to – pun intended – put Gondola back on track, I’m going to create a really interesting design. I think I’m probably one of the first to pioneer this concept,” he said. “I’m not going to create a singular-body robot. After I tweak a few things and get all the measurements, I’m going to print multiple parts of it and I’m going to print different parts so I can put them together and snap each piece together, kind of like a McDonald’s toy.”

Not Fighting, But Floating

One of the highlights of the end of Carver’s spring semester was the annual Hovercraft Competition in his Introduction to Engineering class with Kelsen LaBerge, Ph.D., engineering coordinator and associate professor in Kent State’s College of Aeronautics and Engineering.

Out of 18 teams, Carver’s team (Group 6) took third place in the competition with an innovative design that incorporated a sail. Student teams designed and built their hovercrafts over a period of a few weeks. In the final week, their designs were put to the test on an obstacle course.

In a Facebook post about the event, the College of Aeronautics and Engineering wrote, “We loved watching students apply what they’ve learned in class to overcome real-world challenges. Some hovercrafts zoomed straight through the course while others took a more ... scenic route!”

Finding His Own Path

When he wasn’t in class or studying, Carver met friends in campus dining halls to share meals and conversation. He also walked to one of the parks near downtown Kent to watch the trains pass, to “see if I can spot some gondolas on the rails,” he said.

Carver doesn’t have a car on campus, so he walks to most of the places he wants to go. He noted that students without cars have opportunities to experience campus in a different way. “I would say different, because I learned what was in walking distance and it helped me explore and see what was close,” he said.

Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead

At the time of this interview, Carver was preparing for finals. He said he was ready. “Of course, I need to review a little more, but I think after that I should be ready.”

This semester, Carver had to withdraw from a course that he said he wasn’t “really ready for.” “I still went to tutoring and I did some review and studying for it so I can be more prepared for next semester,” he said.

In the fall, Carver will be a senior and he’s planning on taking trigonometry and a physics class. He’ll also be continuing his Japanese studies, preparing in the fall for his next class in spring semester. “I’m still going to review that, so I don’t lose my vocabulary, to keep my skills sharp,” Carver said. “I will open my textbook and review it, and I’ll also take out a piece of paper and just write a random story or something. It’s not a story, but just to do some writing, just form some sentences.”

Over the summer, he will be helping his mother with her gardening and will be going on a “surprise” train trip with her. “She said it was going to be to another city in Ohio, which is good for a beginner (traveling by train), but I’m curious to see what it is.”