September 25, 2026
By Alba Garcia-Sarabia

Meet Rahul Gupta, a fourth-year student in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering from North Andover, Massachusetts. From serving as vice president of technology for the Flowers Invention Studio to leading a Vertically Integrated Projects team, Rahul has found opportunities to explore his interests in robotics, automation, and hands-on engineering.

In this Q&A, he shares why he chose the Institute, the experiences that have shaped his mechanical engineering journey, and how his involvement with the Invention Studio has allowed him to use the skills he's gained to serve the broader Georgia Tech community.
 

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a fourth-year student, originally from a small New England town a little north of Boston, Massachusetts, named North Andover. I’m really interested in robotics, automation, and optimization improvements in any field or sector, big or small, and I just like working on cool projects.
 

Why did you choose to study at Georgia Tech?

I chose Georgia Tech for two reasons: I wanted to experience more of the U.S. and develop a more diverse worldview, and secondly because it’s Georgia Tech. But in all seriousness, the experiential learning opportunities, along with the theory, depth, and rigor of the academic coursework, are what made me pick Georgia Tech.
 

How did you become interested in mechanical engineering?

Ever since I was young, I’ve really liked building things. I’m not going to repeat the cliché LEGO-building trope, but toys like that really influenced me to pursue engineering. My whole family is in software engineering, so I was the odd one out, but I later discovered my passion lies at the intersection of building things in the physical and virtual worlds. However, given how fast things change in the virtual world, I wanted to have a strong foundation in real-world concepts. That’s why I decided to go down the mechanical route, so I would still have practical skills and develop my software skills as needed later on based on the latest wave of software.
 

In your opinion, what is the best thing about your major?

The people— it’s amazing that I can strike up a conversation with nearly anyone in the Woodruff School about anything technical and they get it instantly. I’ve felt that in most other places, if you start mentioning engineering concepts, new ways to do things, or just cool technical topics to nerd out about, most people will either A) have no clue what you’re talking about, B) say “that’s cool” and let the conversation die, or C) provide a bored response that makes you question why they are pursuing engineering. Having a group of highly motivated and passionate individuals is truly rewarding because it pushes you to develop new innovations, ideas, and projects together.
 

What clubs or after-school activities are you involved in?

Currently, I’m the VP of Technology for the Flowers Invention Studio and a lead for the MATRIX Lab VIP (a Vertically Integrated Projects team dedicated to developing new processes and technologies to improve makerspaces). Previously, I was involved with GT Motorsports within the chassis sub-team.
 

What did it mean to receive the Chair’s Ambassadors in Leadership and Service Fellowship, and what did the funding allow you to do?

It was really rewarding to see the Woodruff School recognize the hard work I was putting in outside the classroom, both for myself and for the School. The funding enabled me to dedicate much more time to the Invention Studio, where, over my tenure, it has undergone a full upgrade and refresh of all the technology in the space. We were also able to develop and implement smart lockouts on high-power machines such as the lathes to prevent unauthorized usage and improve safety, as well as create automations that save Invention Studio student staff an estimated 350 hours annually.
 

Are there any classes you have taken at Georgia Tech that have been memorable?

A bit generic, but ME 1670 (Intro to CAD). I took 1670 with Dr. D, and the whole experience was so rewarding that it created a lot of forward momentum for me to keep pursuing mechanical engineering. It also created some core memories for me that I’ve fallen back on whenever I’ve thought about dropping out, and it’s kept me going! Currently, I’m taking ME 4551(Robotics), and I’ve really enjoyed the lab experiences, as there is a lot of hands-on and real-world application. It just feels nice to actually experiment with the lab projects and explore new creative things that can be done with them.
 

Was there a specific project, internship, co-op, research experience, or other hands-on experience that had a significant impact on you? What made it stand out?

Being involved with the Invention Studio this year in an executive position really expanded my perspective on how Georgia Tech works and also taught me how to get things done quickly in such a large organization. I’ve been using the experience and skills that I’ve gained—like cold emailing, networking, heavy research, and communication—to make positive changes to the Invention Studio and, as a result, serve the broader Georgia Tech community. I would highly recommend that any student get involved with a club at the executive level because there’s a whole other side that you’ll never be exposed to if you don’t do it.
 

What hobbies do you have?

I love being a food critic (not professionally, just recreationally) and really enjoy a nice game of soccer, along with lifting weights and general fitness. Currently, I’m preparing for the Pi Day 5K and perfecting the best grilled chicken sandwich recipe.
 

What’s one fun fact about yourself?

I pushed my last personal laptop (2022 G14) so hard that I simultaneously burned in the screen, burned out the GPU, caused the SSD to fail, and developed a motherboard short, resulting in a catastrophic failure. In fact, it was so catastrophic that the skeptical Best Buy Geek Squad employee who took my laptop to the back to inspect it returned with an immediate refund and a look of horror on his face.
 

What do you look forward to doing in the future?

I look forward to continuing to develop more automations and making more cool projects (like an RC plane with a real jet engine). In my free time, I want to visit all the National Parks. A bucket list item for me is to drive a motorbike and/or dune buggies through the Bonneville Salt Flats or along the Dakar Rally route.
 

What advice do you have for high school students thinking about coming to Georgia Tech?

Communicate effectively, manage your time well, and prioritize what you want to do. The sooner you get involved with what interests you, the sooner you’ll be happier. Additionally, classes at Georgia Tech are extremely theory-heavy, so I would highly recommend going the extra mile to work on projects related to the material you’re learning. It helps you fundamentally understand the theory much better, and it prevents you from running into problems like realizing you can’t actually tighten the screw you had in CAD because you physically can’t reach it. Finally, keep it lighthearted. So what if it takes a little longer or you have to work a little harder? You took the steps to do something, and that’s better than doing nothing.