More than 25 middle and high school students recently spent four days designing, building and testing robots during the OCCC Engineering Summer Academy, culminating in a “sumobot battle” competition before family members and guests.
Held at OCCC’s engineering center, the academy introduced students to engineering principles through a hands-on robotics project. Participants worked in teams to build sumobots, small robots designed to push opponents out of a competition ring while remaining inside the ring themselves.
The academy was led by Dr. Susmita Hazra, dean of the OCCC Division of Science, Engineering and Mathematics. Dr. Greg Holland, chair of engineering and physics, served as lead instructor and played a key role in developing and delivering the program curriculum. Professor of Engineering Wyatt Main served as assistant instructor, while engineering lab assistants Aaron Scheffer and Andrew Lane supported laboratory sessions and student projects. Administrative operations, communications and program logistics were coordinated by Mikaela Chen, secretary of the SEM Division.
Holland said the program was designed to introduce students to engineering concepts that extend beyond traditional classroom instruction.
“The goal is to introduce the students to some of the engineering principles regarding design, planning, following instructions and troubleshooting,” Holland said. “They’re given real-world components and asked to put together a circuit and then build a body for the robot to meet certain size requirements and weight limits.”
Unlike many robotics programs that focus heavily on coding, the academy emphasized physical electronics and mechanical design. Students assembled circuits, installed motors and tested components while learning how engineering concepts apply in practical situations.
“They learn a lot about electronics,” Holland said. “It’s not programmable, which is different than their exposure to other projects like this in school. It’s just real-world electronic components.”
Throughout the week, students encountered challenges common to engineering projects, including troubleshooting mechanical and electrical problems.
“When you think you’ve put it together right, but it doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do, how do you find out what’s wrong?” Holland said. “Being very meticulous and going back through the process, double- and triple-checking things is important.”
Students also shared what they learned during the academy.
Ojesvi Mayank said the program sparked a greater interest in engineering.
“I wanted to look more into engineering,” Mayank said, “so I decided to try this.”
Mayank said designing the sumobot was the highlight of the week.
“You have to look through everything you’ve done and double-check to make sure you have it,” she explained.
Participant Vicky Larson said one of the biggest challenges was fitting all of the robot’s components into the required space.
“I learned that it’s very hard to make things small enough to fit in a box,” Larson said.
Prisha Ramkumar said she joined the academy because it sounded interesting. Although she hopes to become a lawyer, she believes the experience will benefit her in the future.
In addition to building and competing with their sumobots, students participated in an astronomy trivia session led by Bobie Johnson, president of the OCCC Astronomy Club. They also toured the SEM Division laboratories, the OCCC Esports Lab and the OCCC Automotive Labs, exposing them to a variety of STEM and technical career pathways.
Additionally, students attended a special presentation on engineering design by Dr. Sheila Youngblood, an engineer and CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Deep East Texas, who discussed the engineering design process and its real-world applications.
The academy concluded with the sumobot battle competition, where students demonstrated their completed robots before family members, instructors and fellow participants. Families gathered around the competition ring, cheering as students tested their robots in head-to-head matches.
Following the competition, all students who successfully completed the academy received certificates recognizing their dedication, engagement and accomplishments. The first-place team in the sumobot competition was Anis Abbourd and Prisha Ramkumar, whose teamwork and engineering skills earned them the championship.
According to Hazra, post-program evaluations showed that both students and parents rated the academy highly, praising the hands-on learning experiences, campus engagement activities and exposure to STEM disciplines. Based on the positive feedback, the SEM Division plans to expand future academies by incorporating additional educational opportunities to serve the community.
Reflecting on the success of the inaugural academy, Holland said he hopes the program will continue inspiring young people to pursue engineering and other STEM careers.
“This was our first time to kind of handle it on our own, and it was a good first run,” Holland said. “I look forward to doing it again.”
Through teamwork, creativity and hands-on learning, the OCCC Engineering Summer Academy provided students with valuable engineering experience while encouraging the next generation of innovators.
