September 2018: Students learn Ax Dynamics at SMASIS 2018
As part of a social event at SMASIS, Maestro students (Will, Patrick, Greg, Jacob, Pedro, Hannah, and Blaze) went ax throwing at San Antonio. Two lessons learned from this event were: that the marines do not have ax throwing training and that Patrick at the Ballmer Peak is a reincarnated Viking.
August 2018: MAESTRO Grad Student shore know how to seas the day
The Maestro researchers took a weekend retreat out at Rockport, Texas to talk about future directions for their research, as well as to partake in some “Gulf Coast recreation” that Dr. Hartl grew up with, such as: kayaking, fishing, and eating crabs. It was a very productive and fun weekend as we welcomed the new grad students: Dylan Gerding, Hannah Stroud, Greg Wilson, and future grad student Michayal Mathew into the fold.
January 2018: MAESTRO Takes TopGolf
The Maestro grad students (and exchange student Thomas) traveled to Houston’s TopGolf to find once and for all who is the best Happy Gilmore. Despite being a former hockey player, Patrick was not able to repeat the movie’s miracle and Brent was the uncontested champion. Maybe next time…
December 2017: Volleyball Extravaganza (Fall Edition)
As a means off blowing end-of-the-semester stress, the MAESTRO Team gathered at casa de Hartl for another round of morale building and pride crushing volleyball. A full 20 players participated in the four-team round-robin competition. In the end, the “Slat Cove Winners” (Scholten, Patterson, White, Garza, and French visiting student Thomas Thollot) and “HRBB Fully Loaded” (Brazilian visiting student Bia Borges, Pedro Savi, Hartl, Cabezuela, and Alyssa Saenz) tied with three wins and one loss each. A Wiffle Ball game followed, with Hartl (pitcher) learning that some students neglect to mention that they were high school baseball players on their resumés. The evening concluded with a Secret Santa gift exchange organized by Patrick Walgren.
August 2017: Sun’s out, Eclipse goggles out
Patrick, Michayal, Jacob and Pedro drove 1500 miles roundtrip from College Station, TX to Carbondale, IL to the path of totality for the Solar Eclipse. The picture on the left was taken by them and captures what they saw when the moon eclipsed the sun. They look forward to doing it again in 2024 when the solar eclipse will go through Texas.
April 2017: Reconfigurable researcher, Leo Wood “folds into” Rockstar by night
Leo plays synth/bass for a local indie/alternative rock band called Wartime Afternoon. His band has performed in many venues and has accumulated quite the following. We’re proud of him and his accomplishments both in and out of school!
March 2017: Arizona “Rocks”!
3 MAESTRO Lab Undergraduates; Madalyn Mikkelsen, Hannah Stroud, and Michayal Mathew went to Arizona together during Spring Break. They had the opportunity to camp at many places, such as: Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell, and last but not least Grand Canyon National Park. It was a great week full of fun and bonding and they have a great many pictures to prove it!
January 2017: Graduate Student “Deer Camp” Weekend
The six graduate students of the MAESTRO Team were invited to join Dr. Hartl and his sons at his father’s deer lease for a weekend of “Texas Immersion.” Students from Florida, Alaska, and Brazil joined three other Texas students for a day and two nights of four-wheeler riding, target practice, wildlife watching, and camaraderie. Pedro Leal was the champion of the 22 caliber target practice competition, having beaten Dr. Hartl by one point. Not bad for a first-time marksman!
Students look for elusive quicksand during a walk down the creek that partitions the 900 acre site.
Pedro Leal watches silently for hogs, deer, and ducks from the “Pond Blind”
Masters student Ryan Patterson goes for a four-point shot (tiny target) during the 22 caliber shooting competition.
January 2017: “Escape the Room” Success in Dallas
In conjunction with the AIAA SciTech conference in Grapevine, TX, 10 members of the MAESTRO team successfully robbed a bank…as part of an “Escape the Room” scenario known as the Western Bank Heist. Using quick wit, determination, and teamwork, these “researchers by day / bandits by night” worked together to complete the 60 minute challenge in an amazing 58 minutes and 10 seconds, barely preserving their pride (and freedom). It is likely that there are other escape rooms in the future for this team.
Successful Western Heist completed
December 2016: “Wiffle Ball Game to the Death”
After finals, the 13 members of the team gathered for a serious game of Wiffle Ball, complete with canvas chair “dugouts,” lots of “Gatorade,” and a 4-wheeler and Go-Kart intermission. Much fun was had by all. And Dr. Hartl’s team won twice…
