William McConnell

About William McConnell

I am a mechanical engineering student at the University of Rhode Island. I have been passionate about robotics and unmanned systems for as long as I can remember. Before university, I did 8 years of FIRST robotics. Once I came to URI, I got involved with URI Hydrobotics which is an undergraduate marine robotics team.Through my experiences on the team, I managed to learn more about marine robotics and autonomy. I was elected as a captain and the mechanical lead of the team at the end of my first year. Once I was elected I became focused on organizing and preparing the team to compete in the ROBOSUB competition for 2024. In 2022 I started as an Undergraduate Researcher at the Smart Ocean Systems Laboratory (SOSL) at URI Graduate School of Oceanography. At the SOSL I have been developing and manufacturing a line of autonomous underwater vehicles. ALPHA-AUV uses accessible materials and simple manufacturing processes to create a low-cost and customizable alternative to a purchased vehicle. The goal is to open-source the design and lower the cost of entry to ocean research. I have been researching in the SOSL and leading the Hydrobotics team this year. The team is looking to compete in the ROBOSUB competition in August 2024. I have learned so much through these experiences, and I am always looking forward to learning more.

Experience

1. Mechanical Engineer

   Vatn Systems

   Sep 2025 — Present · Bristol, RI, US

Education

• University of Rhode Island

  Bachelor of Science - BS