Jefferson Sanchez

My lecturers were involved in the latest robotics research that impacts our lives in a big way – it’s an exciting area. I learnt the theory in the classroom and then I got to apply it practically in the lab.

I fell in love with the course because I enjoy the hands-on element of working with electronics and mechanics. For one of my projects, I designed a robotic arm for a drone that could pick up and place objects. In the future, we’ll be able to use drones like these to deliver packages instead of using cars and vans. For another project, I developed a telescope that automatically tracked the moon around the sky, similar to how telescopes used by NASA follow stars and planets automatically.

For every project I worked on, I had a supervisor to support me. I worked with the support of Dr Chris Trayner from Electrical and Electronic Engineering, an expert in optical systems and electronics, to develop the automatic telescope. He supported me in researching the right sensors and lenses to help me make the telescope work.

Over the next few years, robotics will change our society in big ways, whether it’s through drones or through things like automatic tractors to help make farming more efficient. I love thinking outside the box, so if you're enthusiastic and you really want to learn something new with cutting-edge technology, then Leeds is the place to be.