{"id":55784,"date":"2024-10-04T08:00:19","date_gmt":"2024-10-04T12:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/?p=55784"},"modified":"2024-09-23T15:26:53","modified_gmt":"2024-09-23T19:26:53","slug":"julias-path-from-first-robotics-to-pioneering-offshore-wind-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/2024\/10\/julias-path-from-first-robotics-to-pioneering-offshore-wind-technology.html","title":{"rendered":"Julia’s Path: From FIRST Robotics to Pioneering Offshore Wind Technology"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image from Julia Meisser<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Julia’s Path: From FIRST Robotics to Pioneering Offshore Wind Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Julia Meisser talks about her work, it’s easy to see that her passion for robotics isn’t just a career – it’s been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. With degrees in mechanical and robotics engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Julia is now making strides at Triton Anchor, LLC, a company focused on advancing subsea technology for offshore wind energy.<\/p>\n

Julia\u2019s fascination with robotics took root in elementary school, thanks to her involvement in the FIRST Robotics<\/a> program. \u201cMy first exposure to robotics and SOLIDWORKS was through FIRST Robotics,\u201d she recalls. She started with the FIRST Lego League<\/a> in fifth grade, where she learned about the engineering design process, basic programming using motors and sensors, and how to create small mechanical attachments out of LEGO parts. By the time she reached high school, she was fully immersed in competitive robotics, where students design and build industrial-size robots to tackle complex challenges.<\/p>\n

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Getting an autograph from FIRST founder Dean Kamen at the UNH District Event as an FRC student during the 2018 season, FIRST Power Up, Image from Julia Meisser<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Julia started using SOLIDWORKS as a junior in high school with her FIRST Robotics team. She went on to earn her CSWP certification as part of a summer internship at MilliporeSigma<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This love of sharing knowledge is something she brings to her work at Triton Anchor<\/a>, where collaboration is a key part of the job. Triton Anchor, a spinoff of Triton Systems<\/a>, is at the forefront of developing mooring and anchoring systems for floating offshore wind turbines – a field that combines Julia\u2019s interests in mechanical engineering and underwater robotics. The company\u2019s work is crucial as the world looks for more sustainable energy solutions, and Julia is excited to be part of that effort.<\/p>\n

Her day-to-day tasks at Triton Anchor are diverse, ranging from cleaning up documentation and ordering parts to engaging in design work that refines tools to be more manufacturable and user-friendly. She\u2019s also been involved in research projects to create self-sustaining vessels for offshore installations. \u201cThe system we\u2019ve developed is essentially silent and much more versatile than traditional anchoring methods,\u201d she explains. This innovation reduces the environmental impact of installation and makes the process more scalable and cost-effective.<\/p>\n

Julia\u2019s interest in underwater robotics extends beyond her current role. During her time at WPI, her senior capstone project was focused on developing a robot designed to autonomously harvest lionfish, an invasive species harmful to coral reefs. The project combined her love for robotics with a real-world environmental challenge, echoing the work she\u2019s now doing at Triton Anchor.<\/p>\n

The idea of merging different engineering disciplines – mechanical, electrical, and programming\u2014has always fascinated Julia. It\u2019s one of the reasons she chose to double major in robotics and mechanical engineering at WPI. The school\u2019s strong connection to the New England FIRST Robotics community and its curriculum, which leans heavily on mechanical engineering, made it the perfect fit for her. \u201cWPI\u2019s robotics program lent itself to my interests,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Like many students, Julia faced the challenge of finding internships during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She secured a position at MilliporeSigma, a manufacturing company that manufactured medical-grade filters that made COVID-19 vaccine production possible. \u201cIt was summer 2020, very early on in COVID, and I was lucky to still be able to do that program,\u201d she remembers. Although the experience was valuable, it helped her realize that her true passion lay in the design process rather than manufacturing.<\/p>\n

Julia is optimistic about the future of engineering, particularly in AI and biomimetics. She sees AI becoming a useful tool in design and data analysis, though she believes that the role of human engineers will remain irreplaceable.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think biomimetics is going to become much bigger,\u201d she says, referring to designing solutions inspired by nature. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot we can learn from the natural world that we haven\u2019t yet mastered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Julia is excited about the continued push towards clean energy and sustainability. She sees Triton Anchor\u2019s work as a crucial part of that movement, not just in developing renewable energy sources like wind power but in a way that minimizes harm to marine life.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re supporting a clean energy source, but we\u2019re also doing it in a way that minimizes the impact on marine environments,\u201d she notes. The innovations she\u2019s working on, such as using smaller and more cost-effective vessels for anchor installation, are steps toward making offshore wind energy more accessible and sustainable globally.<\/p>\n

Outside of work, robotics continues to be a central part of Julia\u2019s life. She spends her free time mentoring a FIRST Robotics team in Merrimack, New Hampshire, finding joy in guiding young engineers as they navigate the challenges of design and competition.<\/p>\n

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Helping with a quick repair while mentoring FRC Team 5813 Morpheus during the 2022 season, Rapid React presented by the Boeing Company, Image from Julia Meisser<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Game announcing for the 2023 FIRST Robotics Competition game, Charged Up presented by Haas, Image from Julia Meisser<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Inspecting a swerve module as a mentor on FRC Team 166 Chop Shop during the 2023 Rhode Island District Event, Image from Julia Meisser<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s great to see young people passionate about engineering and want to go into it,\u201d she says. She shares her knowledge of SOLIDWORKS and engineering with her team. \u201cI\u2019ve been a mentor for several years now, teaching SOLIDWORKS to the next generation,\u201d she says. The satisfaction she gets comes from the moments of shared discovery.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always fun showing somebody something I\u2019ve known for years and seeing their reaction\u2014like, \u2018What? This is a SOLIDWORKS feature? This is life-changing!\u2019\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Julia has blended passion, skill, and a continuous desire to learn and share knowledge throughout her career. From her early days tinkering with robots in school to her current role at the forefront of renewable energy technology, she has followed a path that aligns perfectly with her interests. As she continues to explore new challenges and opportunities in the engineering field, one thing is sure: Julia is doing exactly what she loves and has found a way to make a career out of it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Discover how Julia Meisser went from a college engineering student particpating in First Robotics to working towards a more sustainable future in her work with Triton Anchor while also mentoring the engineers of the future.<\/p>\n... Continued<\/a>","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":55779,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43,3,26,14,17,18,454,113],"tags":[133,623,4651,1384,19,2084],"class_list":["post-55784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-certification","category-community","category-customer-stories","category-design","category-education","category-solidworks","category-user-groups","category-women-in-engineering","tag-engineering","tag-first-robotics","tag-mentor","tag-robots","tag-solidworks-2","tag-women-in-engineering"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55784"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55784\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55789,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55784\/revisions\/55789"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}