“The principal mark of genius is not perfection, but originality, the opening of new frontiers.” –Arthur Koestler
In the mere period of time that I have existed on this planet, things have been good. I accredit much of it to my mom and dad, who have taught me the value of a human life. I love them for their sacrifices and hope to make them proud.
My name is Austin Lawrence. I am a senior mechanical engineering student at Kettering University with an interest in pursuing biorobotics. I am an engineer, an entrepreneur, an inventor, a thinker, a learner, a hacker, and a dreamer. The sense of creating something new was thrilling to me, and something that I experimented with during my younger years. Being older now, I realized that this is my source of inspiration – the act of creating. It’s what I do, and I like to think that I do it well.
My time in college has been very enlightening. Not only for the courses that I’ve taken, but the life lessons that weren’t necessarily planned. Graduation day fast approaches; I’ve begun to truly realize what people mean when they express that life is too short. We’re given one chance to live on this planet. Based on my observations thus far, life hits you hard – and then you die. We all expire, and most of us leave behind a mark on this planet. Some of these are good, others – bad. Your outcome is entirely based off of your own volitions as one human of seven billion. As I take my first few polished steps into the mean professional world, I’ve realized that I should start thinking about my outcome. A few boxes to check off of the bucket list, if you will. I want to drive inspiration. I want to create ideas. And most importantly, I want to change lives.
Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principals which direct them. – Napoleon Bonaparte
Sometimes I think I’m slightly crazy for the way I think. Some ideas feel radical and require a lot of change. You’re no longer in that safe “warm fuzzy” zone of elementary teachers, nurtured children, and precautionary hockey equipment during recess. This is the world of feedback, and all its taste- and distasteful varieties. Regardless of the name that’s behind the idea, nobody is safe from the fury. As an example, the iPad was an over-glorified iTouch with no perceived chance for success. Five years later, it is responsible for an $80 billion tablet industry, and everyone needs one of these things. The trick is to make them look like the crazy ones.
A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy? – Albert Einstein
Formally, I’m an engineering student of a well-accredited private university with a graduation date fast approaching. Informally, I am still and forever will be: a student. Learning should not be restricted to the classroom. Learning is constant discovery. Sometimes you plan for it, other times the idea strikes you the moment you breach the surface, like finding an underground Antarctic lake. That sense of discovery is why we dream. It is why some go through such great lengths to prove the rest of the world wrong. Life is an adventure, so you might as well play its game. Take it step by step, and you might just be surprised with where you end up.
Roads? Where we’re going, we won’t need roads. – Doc
…Needless to say, I draw inspiration from quotes and tend to reflect on them. Especially when it comes from Doc.
I’ve paired up with Brian Falther because we share a similar vision. We both met as mechanically-minded entrepreneurs with the ability to coordinate and communicate. We’re pulling together quite a show for you to enjoy when all is said and done. I’m in this project to support Brian in the development of a sustainable solution to our agricultural demands and design its awesome solution. Some days I’m a biologist, other days I’m a chemist, and everythen else I’m an engineer. I can’t wait to make this idea happen. Potentially, it could be life altering. The feeling is daunting, but perhaps that’s a good thing.
Let’s get our farm on.
-Austin Lawrence
