Lunch and Learn: Living with Robots
Our annual Lunch and Learn will be hosted at the Lockwood STEM Center on Friday, November 6th, 2026 from 9am-1pm. This year's theme will be Living with Robots. Enjoy a day filed with engaging speakers from the robotics business, networking with others in the industry, and impactful conversations with students.
Dean Shafer
Koops
Dean Shafer will talk about Koops business, growth, and employment opportunities in the automation space. He is also bringing some small demonstration robots that students will be able to interact with.
Koops designs, builds, and integrates automation systems, uniting rock-solid engineering solutions with stellar customer support to meet the complex demands of robust manufacturers seeking to grow.
Our Speakers
Joseph Moening, Professor at the School of Engineering and Technology at Lake Superior State University, is going to exibit a student project. He will also talk about LSSU's engineering programs and has an exciting announcement to make regarding scholarship opportunities.
Lake Superior State University (LSSU) was the first university in the United States to establish an accredited bachelor's degree program in Robotics Engineering Technology in 1985. The university features an advanced robotics and automation lab equipped with industrial, collaborative, and mobile robots, PLCs, and machine vision systems.
Joseph
Moening
LSSU
Joseph Moening
LSSU
Joseph Moening, Professor at the School of Engineering and Technology at Lake Superior State University, is going to exibit a student project. He will also talk about LSSU's engineering programs and has an exciting announcement to make regarding scholarship opportunities.
Lake Superior State University (LSSU) was the first university in the United States to establish an accredited bachelor's degree program in Robotics Engineering Technology in 1985. The university features an advanced robotics and automation lab equipped with industrial, collaborative, and mobile robots, PLCs, and machine vision systems.
Megan Hayward is the Director of High Voltage Distribution (HVD) Planning at Consumers Energy. She is a huge FIRST Robotics advocate. Megan previously worked at Ford. She plans to talk about career opportunities at Consumers Energy and the role she plays at the company.
Founded in 1886, Consumers Energy now has 6.7 million customers in each of Michigan's Lower Peninsula counties and employs over 8,300 people.
Megan Hayward
Consumers Energy
Megan Hayward
Consumers Energy
Megan Hayward is the Director of High Voltage Distribution (HVD) Planning at Consumers Energy. She is a huge FIRST Robotics advocate. Megan previously worked at the Lansing Board of Water & Light and various other consulting engineering firms. She plans to talk about career opportunities at Consumers Energy and the role she plays at the company.
Founded in 1886, Consumers Energy now has 6.7 million customers in each of Michigan's Lower Peninsula counties and employs over 8,300 people.
Joe Baldiga
FANUC
Joe Baldiga will provide an overview of the industrial robotics industry. Its history, growth, and future. He will be presenting a cobot, a robot designed to work with humans in production spaces. Joe is a Certified CNC Educator and focuses on Workforce Development.
With over 60 years of industrial automation expertise, FANUC America supports customers through 25 locations and a service-first philosophy that guarantees lifetime support on all FANUC products worldwide—making FANUC the most trusted choice for automation.