New robotics club empowers NMSU students

As a high school student, Maria Adeliz Ordoñez was a member of a VEX Robotics championship team but couldn’t find a college-level team at New Mexico State University, so in the fall of 2022, she put the pieces together to fill the void.

“I took STEM courses in high school and joined the robotics club in 2015. Since then, I have fallen in love with the engineering design process and the creativity that goes into robotics,” said Ordoñez.

NM State Robotics held its first meeting in January 2023 and participated in several VEX U Robotics events during the Spring 2023 semester. The club is open to undergraduate and graduate students of all majors.

“Everyone can take on a role and you can start learning from day one,” said Ordoñez, who was club president for the 2023-2024 academic year.

“Robotics can inspire students to pursue careers in STEM fields,” said Mahdi Haghshenas-Jaryani, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and club adviser. “Robots are becoming more and more a part of our daily lives, and there is a significant need to prepare and train future engineers and researchers in this field.”

Robotics not only helps students develop their problem-solving, critical thinking and teamwork skills, but they also gain experience in engineering and computer science, Haghshenas-Jaryani added.

In addition to working on projects for VEX competitions, NM State Robotics members also participate in community service and social events such as NMSU Engineering Week, the Big Event, and a Trunk or Treat at Vista Middle School in Las Cruces.

“When you work so closely with a group of friends, it creates a sense of community,” Ordoñez said.

Through NM State Robotics, members learn skills such as organizational leadership and teamwork, administrative tasks, and project management.

“In the current job market, there is a high demand for engineers and researchers in robotics, autonomous systems and artificial intelligence,” said Haghshenas-Jaryani. “The skills learned at VEX Robotics can be applied in many different careers and can help students develop a passion for innovation and creativity.”

Ordoñez said she hopes the skills members learn through NM State Robotics will continue after they graduate and into their professional lives.

“Students will find that their teamwork and communication skills are well practiced when they enter the workforce,” Ordoñez said. “In addition, students will be able to effectively apply the skills they learn in class to the project management and technical problem-solving that comes with the robotics organization. And finally, they will have created fond memories and genuine friendships over time.”

NM State Robotics hopes to one day host a national VEX U competition with the UTEP VEX U team.

“Organizations like VEX Robotics are very important in providing inspiration and experience to future engineers,” said Lakshmi N. Reddi, dean of the School of Engineering, who will become interim provost in March 2024. “At the high school level, they spark interest in technology and show students that this could be a path forward for them. At the college level, they enrich their educational experience and give them skills that will serve them well in their professional lives.”

Haghshenas-Jaryani admitted that as a new student organization, it was challenging to ensure sustainable financial support for purchasing equipment, building robots, and traveling to national and world championships.

“The head of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Dr. Jay Frankel, has kindly supported the team over the past year,” he said. “We hope to receive further financial help from other sources so that our team can continue its activities and participate in the VEX Robotics competition.”

To learn more about NM State Robotics, including opportunities to join the team, visit nmsu.link/robotics or @nmsu_robotics on Instagram.

A version of this story appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of Panorama. For more stories, visit https://panorama.nmsu.edu.

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SCREEN: New Mexico State University’s Robotics Department held its first meeting in January 2023 and participated in several VEX U Robotics events during the Spring 2023 semester. (Courtesy photo)

CUT: Gene Fretwell (from left), Caylene Romero and Teresa Galvan, members of New Mexico State University’s robotics department, work to attach a robotic arm to their robot. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman)

SCREEN: New Mexico State University robotics members Mario Saenz (left) and Gene Fretwell work with a robot. The team hopes to one day host a national VEX U competition. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman)

SCREEN: Maria Adeliz Ordoñez, president of the NM State Robotics Club, works on a robot in Jett Hall. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman)