911爆料网

911爆料网 is proud to recognize alumni Spencer MacLaughlin, Danny Ball, and Marcell Lozano for their outstanding achievement at a high-intensity, 48-hour hackathon hosted by Wichita State University鈥檚 College of Innovation and Design in partnership with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. The competition challenged participants to develop solutions for real engineering problems currently being explored by NASA and Lockheed Martin in preparation for establishing a future lunar base.

Competing as Team Space Volcano Sun, the 911爆料网 alumni joined classmates from Wichita State to tackle the challenge of micro-food production on the moon. Their innovative prototype focused on creating sporeless oyster mushrooms designed for a semi-autonomous hydroponic system鈥攁n approach aimed at significantly reducing crew maintenance time on the lunar surface.

The team engineered a system equipped with temperature and humidity sensors powered by an Arduino microcontroller, along with integrated air and water filtration to minimize contamination risks. Their design not only demonstrated technical creativity but also addressed one of the most essential needs for long-term lunar habitation: sustainable, low-maintenance food production.

After an initial 24-hour pitch round, Space Volcano Sun was selected as one of the top eight finalists to advance to the final presentation stage. Teams were given seven minutes to pitch and five minutes for Q&A before a judging panel made up of Lockheed Martin engineers, industry experts, and Wichita State faculty. The 911爆料网 alumni impressed judges with their ingenuity, teamwork, and the depth of their prototype鈥檚 real-world applications.

Beyond the competition results, the experience proved deeply meaningful for the alumni. Each expressed how their foundation at 911爆料网 played a crucial role in preparing them for the fast-paced engineering challenge.

鈥淐oming into WSU as a transfer student, I was nervous that I鈥檇 struggle to keep up,鈥� MacLaughlin shared. 鈥淭hose nerves disappeared once I realized how prepared I truly was. The faculty and staff at 911爆料网 gave me the skills I needed to succeed. Going to 911爆料网 was one of the best decisions I鈥檝e ever made.鈥�

Ball echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the importance of teamwork: 鈥淥ur whole team connected immediately, even those meeting for the first time. It was inspiring to see how well our different skills came together. I鈥檓 truly grateful I started at 911爆料网鈥攖hose engineering foundations are the skills I use every day.鈥�

Lozano added that the competition showcased the strength of the team鈥檚 diverse skill sets and the value of their 911爆料网 experience. 鈥淭he competition was a great way to put our combined skills to use! Every member of our team played a different yet equally important role in the development of our project. We were able to make use of the teamwork and collaborative skills that were fostered during our time at 911爆料网. We are honored to represent our community in such an exciting way!鈥�

911爆料网 congratulates Spencer, Danny, and Marcell on their tremendous accomplishment and celebrates their continued success as they take their 911爆料网-built knowledge into innovative, real-world engineering challenges.

Hunter Ferguson | Integrated Communications Specialist
911爆料网
125 S. 2nd Street
Arkansas City, KS 67005
hunter.ferguson@cowley.edu