Innovation in Competition: Rose-Hulman Competition Teams

Innovators see obstacles as opportunities and competitions as creations, and this past academic year, the Branam and Kremer Innovation Center competition teams tinkered with technological advances to represent Rose-Hulman at local, national, and world championships.

ASCE Steel Bridge
Steel Bridge won first place at the Indiana-Kentucky Student Symposium for the second year. The team was recognized for Lightness (2nd place), Construction Speed (2nd place), Construction Economy (2nd place), and Cost Estimation (1st place).

Five students wearing hard hats and perch on their steel bridge project.

FIRST Robotics Team Area 5188 Mentors
Rose-Hulman students mentored the FIRST Robotics Competition team 5188, and 55% of their high school mentees were new to the team. The team earned the Autonomous Award and was named an alliance captain at its district event. High school students and Rose-Hulman mentors also inspired future generations through local FIRST Lego League teams.

First Robotics students and mentors with their award.

Make It Happen
Make It Happen aims to "solve real problems for real people," and built several community projects, including an electric dolly book bin to help Vigo County Public Library employees. Team members also worked on several smaller-scale projects throughout the spring quarter, including a station for Lost Creek Elementary’s field day activities.

An electric book dolly with large wheels and 3D printed parts.

MakerLab
MakerLab reinvented itself this year with new equipment, including revamped 3D printing abilities, a designated textile area, and the addition of an Axiom Iconic 8 CNC router. Open to all Rose-Hulman students, MakerLab provides safety training and access to processes and equipment including laser cutting, resin printing, CNC engraving, waterjet cutting, and 3D printing.

The Maker Lab space and equipment in the Kremer Innovation Center.

Robotics - Combat
Combat Robotics placed second in the 30-pound robot class at the National Havoc Robotics League (NHRL) competition, qualifying for the NHRL Pro League and NHRL Championships. Rose-Hulman’s team also competes in groups of two to four students in the 1-pound, 1-pound 3D printed, and 3-pound categories.

Two robots clash with whirring weapons.

Robotics - MATE/ RoseVG Robotics
MATE/RoseVG Robotics developed an entirely new Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), featuring a fully symmetric ROV frame, differential gripper systems, advanced flight control systems, and a profiling float. The team earned 16th place at the MATE ROV World Championships, held earlier this summer at the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University in Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada. RoseVG Robotics was also one of the first teams in the competitions to successfully operate a vehicle in the ocean rather than a simulated environment.

A student gives a thumbs-up from a pool with the underwater robot.

Robotics - Robomaster/RHIT Thornbots
Robomaster upgraded their three nondestructive robots, building a taller bot with expanded hoppers, in advance of their spring scrimmage and summer competition. The team earned a fifth-place finish at the ARC Championship in June, besting teams from University of Minnesota, Nagoya University, Washington University in St. Louis, and University of Texas Arlington.

Thornbots team stands with arms crossed behind their three robots.

Rocketry - High Power Rocketry
High Power Rocketry helps students achieve their National Association of Rocketry Level 1 certification and advance to Level 2 rocket designs. Rose-Hulman recently established a partnership with the Terre Haute Regional Airport to enable students to achieve their certification launches just a few minutes from campus.

A rocket silhouetted against a fiery orange and yellow sunset.

Rocketry - NASA University Student Launch Initiative (USLI)
The USLI team builds a rocket with a scientific payload determined by NASA, earning approval from NASA Subject Matter Experts at various competition checkpoints. The team qualified for and launched at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where they earned a 10th-place finish.

Four students hold rockets and an American flag.

Rocketry - Rose Propulsion Laboratory
Rose Propulsion Laboratory develops liquid rocket engines and completed the first hot fire engine test by Rose-Hulman students. The hot fire liquid rocket engine is an important step toward the team’s ultimate goal of successfully launching and landing a hopper vehicle.

Two students pour propellant into the hot fire engine.

Rose Aerial Systems
Rose Aerial Systems (formerly Design/Build/Fly) transitioned to competitive aerial robotics. The team designed a VTOL quad-plane for the Student Unmanned Aerial Systems competition in September.

Seven students hold a drone in front of a sunset.

RoseGPE
Rose Grand Prix Engineering built their first electric car to compete in Formula SAE EV in June, manufacturing nearly every component on campus. RoseGPE competed in the Technical Inspection and Static Events, passing nearly all levels of inspection — an impressive feat for the team’s first electric vehicle.

A studnet sits in a race vehicle wearing a helmet and talking to another student.

Team Rose Motorsports
Team Rose Motorsports rebuilt the transmission of their 1988 BMW325is and installed a new engine, transaxle, and ECU in their 1974 Porsche 914 and raced their 1984 Foxbody Mustang through a partnership with VP Racing Fuels.

A black car zooms through a cloud of smoke.

VEXU Robotics
In their first full season, VEXU Robotics competed in three local tournaments and qualified for the World Championships, where they beat teams from around the world, including Purdue University. Over the course of the season, the team made four robot design iterations and built a total of six robots.

Five students with their two robots under an arch lit with red and blue LEDs.

Scholarship Opportunities

Rose-Hulman is again offering scholarships for the 2027-2028 academic year designed to recognize outstanding high school students whose creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving reflect the spirit of Rose-Hulman. The Competition Teams Scholarship honors students who have participated in high school design, robotics, computer, or engineering teams. The scholarship provides a four-year award ranging from $1,000-$2,500 annually and complements other financial assistance.

The regular decision application deadline is February 1, 2027. For more information about each of the competition teams, visit rhit.edu/bic.

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