By: Ella Hart
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is overflowing with impressive students, that’s no question, but not many of them find the time to hold a position in a fraternity, be a part of the Rose-Hulman combat robotics team, and take on the role of BattScholar all while pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the same time. Meet Timothy Johnson, a valuable member of our RHIT BattChallenge team and all-around great guy!
“Hi, I’m Timothy Johnson and I’m a current junior at Rose studying both mechanical engineering and engineering management through the Rose-Squared program, which lets me earn both my bachelor’s and my master’s in my four undergrad years.
“Apart from academics, I’m a member of the combat robotics team, the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and the Battery Workforce Challenge as the BattScholar for our vehicle integration team. I joined the BattChallenge though a recommendation from a friend and immediately wanted to get more involved when I saw the potential and support that exists for the program. Joining the BattScholar role allows me to apply both my engineering and leadership skills to the club and earn experience in both areas.
“As a BattScholar, I help our vehicle integration team lead Antonio in organizing our outstanding team members to work on and complete project designs and deliverables. Additionally, I work with other teams to coordinate information and help newer members get situated on the team when needed. Lastly, we’re always here to help with finishing deliverables on a tight schedule if necessary.
“This past fall, me and other leaders in the BattChallenge went to the fall workshop in Alexandria, Virg., which signified the official start of the competition. Representing Rose-Hulman, we attended seminars on battery design and learned valuable information about battery cells, software, hardware and the competition that will be essential to our success in the contest. Additionally, we were able to talk to sponsors and industry representatives from Stellantis, Argonne National Laboratory, ONE and MathWorks.
“I am excited for the upcoming years of the BattChallenge and Rose’s participation in it. In our world that is reliant on power, more and more effort is needed to be put into research and development for both more sustainable energy sources and more efficient and safer ways to store that energy. I am certain that the students who are competing in the BattChallenge today will later become industry leaders and innovators in the automotive and energy sectors.”
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RHIT BattChallenge is looking forward to the next three years, and is excited to see how Johnson, as well as all our BattScholars and team leaders, grow and tackle the challenges ahead. Moving forward, our team’s goal is to enrich our members’ education, while also relying on our leaders, like Johnson, to blaze the trail for the future of electric vehicles.
We invite you to explore the RHIT BattChallenge team further. Learn about the cutting-edge work our students are undertaking, engage with the progress we’re making and share in the excitement as we drive towards a cleaner, more efficient future. Your support, whether through sponsorship, membership, or mentorship, can help accelerate our impact. Connect with us on Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook!
