MIT Sea Grant UROP student teaches underwater robotics – Jorlyn LeGarrer

Jorlyn wanted to spend her last summer of college in Boston doing something she hasn¡t done before, so applied to do research at MIT Sea Grant. Jorlyn LeGarrer, a senior at MIT in mechanical engineering, is working with Dr. Tom Consi, the education outreach coordinator, developing the underwater robotics curriculum for the Engineering Experience at MIT (E2@MIT) program. Jorlyn was excited about interning at MIT Sea Grant because of the opportunity to teach. She finds that teaching others helps her truly understand the material. E2@MIT is a weeklong immersive program for highschool students from diverse backgrounds. The program introduces students to college and the different types of engineering and science they could pursue. The underwater robotics program for E2@MIT will allow students to develop a remotely operated underwater vehicle called a Sea Perch. Throughout the week, students will assemble a Sea Perch; building the frame, assembling the motor, waterproofing, and building the electronics. Ultimately, students will be able to customize their own underwater robots to compete in an underwater version of quidditch. Jorlyn has enjoyed working at MIT Sea Grant because she has the freedom to tinker with, and explore new projects, one of which is creating an new type of sensor for the Sea Perch, which detects the location and orientation of objects. The sensor will allow students to test different components like roll, pitch and speed giving them the opportunity to test their new designs. When she isn¡t building sensors or at school, she can most often be found on the water. She is captain of the sailing team at MIT, and participates in regattas most weekends. She attributes her love of the water to her family, which is filled with fishermen, and the summer she spent on a tall ship. She enjoys planting, and is currently growing avocado and date plants. She also volunteers at a machine shop on MIT¡s campus supervising the work other people are doing.

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