SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering is one of a kind. My favorite part of the Lyle School is the Innovation Gymnasium. Located in Caruth Hall, the Innovation Gym is a place for students to work as consultants for companies throughout the Dallas metroplex. This past semester, I had the opportunity to build a foosball table with other engineers as well as students in different schools around the university. This was not a regular foosball table. It was SMU-themed with 3D printed designs covering the table. The players were 3D printed Perunas and the handles were Peruna tails. We provided light to the field by incorporating LED lights around the perimeter of the field. We built a speaker system so that anyone could play music off of a mobile device while playing foosball. The project taught me so much about the practical applications of my engineering classes. I learned how to communicate ideas effectively with different groups of people. We also learned how to prioritize goals when faced with a time restraint. Most importantly, this project allowed me to see how different engineering disciplines come together to solve problems. This project was the highlight of my semester and I can’t wait to try another one soon!
-Caroline Gurley
