Accelerating success: BGSU student bolsters engineering skills through undergraduate research

Luke Woolard has completed two research projects with renowned researcher Dr. MD Sarder, director of the BGSU School of Engineering

By Laren Kowalczyk ‘07

Only in his second year at Bowling Green State University, Luke Woolard is taking full advantage of undergraduate research opportunities, leveraging his education and access to world-class faculty to gain relevant experience in systems engineering.

Woolard has already completed two research projects through the BGSU Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship program and has worked closely on both projects with Dr. MD Sarder, director of the BGSU School of Engineering and a logistics and systems engineering professor.

“It’s hard to put into words how grateful I am for the research opportunities,” Woolard said. “I was fresh out of high school with very little experience, and Dr. Sarder was not only willing to help mentor me through the projects, but he was excited. One of the greatest things about BGSU is that our world-class faculty supports and encourages us to pursue undergraduate research.”

In addition to the valuable hands-on experience, Woolard’s research experience bolstered his credentials and helped him secure an internship at Mettler Toledo, a global Columbus, Ohio-based company, after his first year at BGSU.

He’ll complete a second internship with Mettler Toledo this summer on the company’s digital business management team.

As the No. 1 public university in Ohio for student experience and opportunities, BGSU is committed to empowering students to embrace personal and engaged learning experiences while benefiting from all the opportunities a comprehensive research university provides.

BGSU also was honored as Ohio’s top public university for career preparation, emphasizing the University’s commitment to blending classroom learning with experiential opportunities.

“Engaging in undergraduate research at BGSU with the CURS funding empowers students to explore engineering concepts on a deeper level,” Sarder said. “Through semester-long projects, students not only refine their technical and analytical skills but also build a strong foundation for success in graduate education and beyond.”

Woolard’s first research project included building a robot prototype that could provide virtual tourist experiences in cities across the country. With limited robotics knowledge, Woolard said the experience provided a unique introduction to the complexities of research and the technicalities of building a robot.

“There was a lot of learning through doing and overcoming adversity, but it was such a positive experience,” he said. “From the beginning, Dr. Sarder has been so welcoming and helpful. He wants us to grasp the content we’re learning by using it, whether through group projects or real-world applications. He’s such a great professor.”

Building on the knowledge from his first research project, Woolard spent this past summer researching robotic and technological systems to improve safety and security in the pharmaceutical industry. He’ll present his findings at the CURS symposium in April.

Woolard, from Westerville, Ohio, near Columbus, enrolled at BGSU in Fall 2023 with more than 50 credits from Advanced Placement courses he took in high school, putting him on track to graduate in three years.  

A student-athlete on the men’s cross-country and track team, Woolard said he plans to pursue a master’s degree in logistics systems engineering at BGSU to finish his last year of athletic eligibility.

“I want to keep making the most of all the opportunities I have at BGSU both as a Division I athlete and a student,” Woolard said. “Conducting research as an undergraduate is incredibly beneficial. Everyone should do it. It has helped me apply what I’m learning to real-world applications. It also solidified the fact that what I’m doing can make a real impact on the world.”