Engineering Understanding: Bobby Hodgkinson on AI, Aerospace & Rethinking Learning Smarter Campus Podcast Ep 20
Jul 21, 2025•28 min•Ep. 20
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Episode description
In Episode 20 of the Smarter Campus Podcast, host Zach Kinzler sits down with Bobby Hodgkinson, a teaching professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, whose work spans unmanned vehicles, hurricane-sensor robotics, and now—AI-powered education.
What starts as a story about wind tunnels and biologically-inspired propulsion systems quickly evolves into a conversation about something just as dynamic: the transformation of teaching through AI. Bobby shares:
- His early work on underwater and aerial vehicles to measure hurricanes
- How experiential labs at CU Boulder help students bridge theory and practice
- Why AI made him completely rethink how technical writing is taught
- His vision for automated tutoring and AI tools that assess and support student understanding in real-time
Whether you’re in STEM education or just curious how AI is reshaping how we understand understanding, this episode is a must-listen.
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