Congressman Bruce Westerman visited Arkansas Tech University on Tuesday, March 26, to learn more about the institution’s engineering and computer science programs and its robotics team.
Westerman represents Arkansas’ Fourth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he serves on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and as chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources. His district includes Arkansas Tech’s campuses in Russellville and Ozark.
A Hot Springs native, Westerman is an engineer and forester by trade. He is an avid outdoorsman, a husband and father of four.
During his March 26 visit to ATU, Westerman served as a guest speaker in an electrical engineering class and visited a variety of engineering and computer science laboratories in Corley Hall, including the space utilized by the ATU robotics team.
Arkansas Tech earned a No. 1 national ranking and No. 2 world ranking in VEX U robotics in February during the Texas VEX U Tournament at the Clear Creek Independent School District Robotics Event Center in Houston.
ATU’s performance in Houston qualified it for the 2024 VEX U World Championship, which is scheduled for April 28-30 at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas.
Westerman learned about the robotics game the ATU team will play at the world championship and took a turn driving one of the robots.
During his remarks to ATU engineering students, Westerman encouraged them to get involved with the communities where they will live once they begin their careers. He also encouraged them to pursue their professional engineer license and shared information with them about the energy challenges facing the United States today and in the years to come.
Learn more about the ATU College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics at www.atu.edu/stem.
