Up, Up, and Away: MIX Short Courses Launch for Spring 2026
The MIX’s Spring 2026 Short Course Cohort is officially underway, launching an exciting slate of hands-on programs: BLIMP with Daigo Shishika, Innovators Launchpad (featuring an integrated National Science Foundation I-Corps phase), Drone with Aniket Anand Datar from Dr. Xuesu Xiao’s lab, and Robotics with the MIX’s very own Manager, Dr. Max Kazemzadeh.
Across all programs, students are engaging directly with industry professionals, faculty mentors, site visits, and competitions designed to accelerate applied learning and innovation. These short courses emphasize collaborative problem-solving, technical skill-building, and real-world implementation—hallmarks of the MIX’s experiential learning model.
Blimp Short Course
The BLIMP Short Course launched on Tuesday, February 17, welcoming just under twenty students eager to design and build biologically inspired, lighter-than-air mechatronic flying systems.
Under the educational direction of Mechanical Engineering Professor Daigo Shishika, and with the support of his graduate researchers Kentaro and James, students are exploring aerostatics, propulsion, embedded control systems, and adaptive design strategies. The course challenges participants to rethink flight through bioinspiration—bridging engineering, robotics, and speculative design.
(See photos below from the Blimp Short Course Cohort.)
Drone Short Course
The Drone Short Course began on Thursday, February 12, with approximately twenty students forming five collaborative teams. Participants are learning drone assembly, flight mechanics, operational safety, and FAA-aligned rules and regulations, while also experimenting with creative modifications to enhance performance and expand functional applications.
Students will apply these skills toward advanced flight challenges and team-based problem-solving scenarios, strengthening both their technical competencies and strategic thinking.
(See photos below from the Drone Short Course Cohort.)
Robotics Short Course
The Robotics Short Course kicked off last Wednesday with just over twenty students pairing into teams of two. The cohort began by building foundational skills with the Arduino microcontroller platform and embedded systems programming.
In the coming weeks, teams will assemble autonomous robot navigators and conduct research in preparation for presenting novel real-world applications at the conclusion of the eight-week program. The course integrates hardware prototyping, systems thinking, and iterative design—empowering students to translate code into embodied, functional machines.
(See photos below from the Robotics Short Course Cohort.)
Together, these Spring 2026 short courses represent the MIX’s ongoing commitment to innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and experiential learning at scale.