MassRobotics kicks off fifth year of Jumpstart Fellowship Program

MassRobotics included learning to design CAD models in SolidWorks as part of its Jumpstart Fellowship curriculum. | Source: MassRobotics

MassRobotics is entering the fifth year of its Jumpstart Fellowship program, which aims to encourage and empower diverse high school girls to pursue a career in robotics and promote diversity in the robotics workforce. This is also the second year the program includes sessions in Lowell, Mass. 

The organization said the program has many components. These include a technical curriculum for building skills in design, simulation, and coding, physical hands-on fabrication and electronics, professional development, and mentors. The Jumpstart Fellowship also includes a paid internship in the robotics and technology field.

While the MassRobotics team orchestrates and provides some of the curriculum, a large portion is developed by and taught by volunteers from the industry. The program’s weekly Saturday sessions also include a lunchtime fireside chat between a woman in industry or academia and a Jumpstart Fellow in the program hosting the Q&A.

MassRobotics said it is the largest independent robotics hub dedicated to accelerating robotics innovation, commercialization, and adoption. Its mission is to help create and scale the next generation of successful robotics and AI technology companies. It does this by providing entrepreneurs and startups with the workspace, resources, programming, and connections they need to develop, prototype, test, and commercialize their products and solutions.

Inside the Jumpstart program’s first 2025 sessions

Rich Breault, the CEO at Lightspeed Manufacturing, teaches soldering curriculum to the Jumpstart cohorts. | Source: MassRobotics

In the first session, MassRobotics said its fellows learned about the power of networking. Kristen Bates, a human resources expert, provided a session on LinkedIn and tips for using it successfully to network, search for jobs, and reach out to industry experts. Students set up their profiles and will continue to update and add mentors throughout the program, building their networks.

The mentor session was with Dr. Holly Yanco, distinguished university professor, chair of the Computer Science Department, and director of the NERVE Center at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where the Lowell cohort holds its weekly sessions. Yanco offered insights into her career choices and shared advice with those interested in pursuing an academic career.

The Boston cohort mentor was Nettrice Gaskins, a digital artist and academic who connects algorithms in computation, specifically using generative art.

In addition, the group got hands-on experience with Lightspeed Manufacturing. The company engineers and assembles custom printed circuit boards (PCBs) and works with companies to prototype, manufacture, and repair equipment, including everything from robotics and drones to medical equipment and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Meanwhile, the Lowell cohort spent one of its sessions fabricating silicon fingers and attaching them to motors to build grippers. UMass Lowell staffers have developed and taught this curriculum annually to the Jumpstart Fellows since Cohort 1.

The Lowell Cohort also visited MassRobotics’ headquarters for training in its machine shop. They got an introduction to power tools with an opportunity for some hands-on learning. They also learned how to use the laser cutter and fabricated their nametags.

Finally, MassRobotics kicked off the CAD portion of its curriculum, which includes sessions learning to design in SolidWorks. This is intended to provide the fellows a solid foundation for prototyping and building, which they will use in their final design projects. These design sessions were developed by Rachael Naoum from SolidWorks.

Employers interested in working with Jumpstart Cohort 5 can submit their information to MassRobotics.

Catch MassRobotics at the Robotics Summit & Expo

Seoul National University was the 2024 winner of the MassRobotics Form and Function Robotics Challenge.

This spring, MassRobotics will participate in the Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston from April 30 to May 1. The organization last month announced its third annual Form and Function Robotics Challenge. The challenge is designed to give teams of college students an opportunity to showcase their projects. Teams from anywhere in the world are welcome to enter.

Selected teams will be competing for a grand prize of $10,000, along with $1,000 prizes for second and third place and a $1,000 Audience Choice award. The challenge will culminate with in-person presentations to industry, investors, and community members at the show.

Prior years‘ winners include Tufts University, Seoul National University, Harvard University, Wentworth Institute of Technology, the University of British Columbia, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Indiana University Bloomington, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

More information about the Form and Function Function Robotics Challenge can be found at www.massrobotics.org/form-function-challenge. Applications are due Feb 12, 2025.

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