糖心原创出品

Honors student Michael Sorrell鈥檚 team selected to compete in summer University Rover Challenge finals in Utah.

Michael Mercier | UAH

Michael Sorrell, a mechanical engineering major slated to graduate in 2023, says his experience at 糖心原创出品, a part of The University of Alabama System, and specifically with the Honors College, has been formative. 鈥淚n the Honors College, I have like-minded peers motivated to work hard,鈥� Sorrell shares. 鈥淭he class sizes are smaller and go more in depth, and you form a community of friends you can stick with.鈥�

Much of the work Sorrell is doing in these classes is applicable to his work in the Space Hardware Club (SHC), a student organization that gives students the chance to work on projects like CanSats, rocketry and rovers. His team in the SHC was recently selected to compete in this summer鈥檚 finals in the desert of southern Utah.

鈥淥ur original goal was to get the rover done in 2021,鈥� Sorrell confides, 鈥渂ut it took every bit of two years to get where we are. We had to design the rover, follow the design requirements and solve engineering problems along the way.鈥� At times, some design problems took months to work through. Sorrell says this taught him 鈥渢o take my time and go back to basics when I encounter a problem.鈥�

Crucial to his team鈥檚 development of the rover, Sorrell adds, was the application of skills learned in class to the rover鈥檚 design and construction. 鈥淚 took a machining class with Mr. Jon Buckley,鈥� Sorrell says, 鈥渁nd that class gave me the knowledge and skills to machine specific parts of the rover.鈥�

This experience has prepared him for work in the real world. 鈥淚鈥檝e done design work, I鈥檝e learned how things are manufactured and I鈥檝e made parts myself,鈥� the student says. 鈥淎nd as the logistics lead on the rover project, I鈥檝e learned how to make a budget, book hotel rooms and plan for food and emergencies. It鈥檚 given me a big picture view of both the technical and logistical parts of a project.鈥�

Sorrell鈥檚 experience has also come in handy while interning and working for Northrop Grumman, which he has been doing since his freshman year. 鈥淚 got the internship through the Northrop Grumman Engineering Scholars program in high school. Every summer I have an internship there,鈥� he notes. 鈥淢y first summer I worked on engineering drawings, 3D modeling and analysis, which were things I was learning in my classes.鈥� His supervisor liked his work so much, he asked Sorrell if he鈥檇 be interested in working part time during the school year in addition to his full-time work over the summers. Sorrell jumped at the chance.

The next summer the honors student worked in the space systems sector, and that was where he was introduced to vibration and environmental testing. 鈥淚鈥檇 never had a class on this,鈥� Sorrell confides, 鈥渂ut I found it incredibly interesting.鈥� The study of the effects of vibration, such as an earthquake, on computer or server racks is a time-consuming process that involves taking things apart and testing them physically. 鈥淚 thought there might be a way to improve that process,鈥� Sorrell says, 鈥渁nd we could simulate the effects of vibration without the costly and time-consuming physical tests.鈥� He approached his boss about conducting research on this topic, and he was met with support and encouragement.

That鈥檚 where being one of the first two recipients of the Stanley E. Prevost Honors Scholarship connected with this newfound interest in vibration. The Prevost Scholars are funded through a gift by Stanley E. Prevost, and the scholarship is designed to function as an Honors within an Honors program.

鈥淭he scholarship requires us to pursue a topic for in-depth research,鈥� Sorrell explains. 鈥淚 was already looking for a topic to investigate, and my interest in vibration just clicked.鈥� The combination of the scholarship and his work in the Honors College has helped him with his current work and his future plans. 鈥淚鈥檝e been able to get to know Dr. Wilkerson better and meet Mr. Prevost. Their encouragement to pursue research has helped me so much. They know my strengths and direct me to people and topics that fall in those areas. And I鈥檝e received information on future plans like graduate school and fellowships.鈥�

Sorrell鈥檚 future plans are already underway. He鈥檚 in the JUMP program, so after he graduates with his bachelor鈥檚 in 2023, he will attend UAH for one more year and graduate with his Master鈥檚 of Science in Aerospace Systems Engineering. After that, Sorrell says he plans to live and work close to home, at least for now. 鈥淚 hope to continue to work for Northrop Grumman. I grew up here,鈥� Sorrell says. 鈥淢y family lives here.鈥�