Bobby Stevens, a junior mechanical engineering student at Villanova University, has received a $500 scholarship. In his sophomore year, Stevens was awarded a research scholarship in Dr. Hashem Ashrafiuon’s Heterogeneous Autonomous Vehicle Laboratory where he and his partner used tribology understanding to reduce friction and vibration in the development of a quieter, lighter and more efficient (i.e., capable of longer flights) autonomous quadcopter. Through this research, Stevens has begun to develop a very diverse skillset, has generated and presented a poster on the work and has been awarded another scholarship to continue working in Dr. Ashrafiuon’s lab in his junior year.
In addition, Stevens has encountered tribological challenges during a Villanova mechanical engineering major-wide robot battle tournament, where his team’s “beetle-bot” employed bearings to minimize friction in the front axles, while insufficient wheel-to-surface friction due to dust in the arena also had to be addressed. His team ultimately won the tournament.
Stevens is a well-rounded, outstanding student, with a 3.88 GPA and a great attitude. Dr. Ashrafiuon describes Stevens as “intellectually curious, capable and motivated.”