For four University of Akron (UA) mechanical engineering students, attending the 2026 Schaeffler Automotive Symposium in Detroit offered more than a look at the latest automotive technologies. It gave them the opportunity to talk with practicing engineers, explore potential career paths and see how the concepts they are learning at UA are being applied to the future of mobility.

Students Ty Cox, Andre Lehman, Jacob Shanahan and Dylan Shenal attended the Sept. 17 symposium with Dr. Kai J. Kwon, professor of practice in mechanical engineering. Held every four years, the Schaeffler Automotive Symposium brings together engineers, industry professionals and technology leaders for technical presentations, interactive exhibits and discussions focused on emerging automotive technologies. The 2026 event featured technologies spanning vehicle control, powertrain, chassis and body, and energy management.

Throughout the event, the students explored innovations in electrification, hybrid vehicles, electric motor cooling, touchless vehicle interfaces and steer-by-wire systems. Just as valuable, they had the opportunity to speak directly with Schaeffler engineers about the technologies they were developing and the work behind them.

“It was really interesting to see a lot of the projects the engineers at Schaeffler were working on,” Lehman said. “It was really cool to see how technology is changing.”

Lehman was particularly interested in how engineers are incorporating electric vehicle technology while working within the physical constraints of a vehicle.

“It was especially cool to see the new advances with things going on electrically and how they are able to use the same amount of space and still add in the EV side to the vehicle,” he said. “I also enjoyed talking to the people working on their projects to see what they had learned.”

For Shanahan, the symposium provided another perspective on the connection between college experiences and engineering careers. He was especially interested to meet Schaeffler engineers who had participated in Formula SAE as college students — an experience that helped prepare them for their careers.

“I thought the Schaeffler Symposium was a very informative event to attend where I was able to learn about recent breakthroughs in the automotive industry that Schaeffler is behind,” Shanahan said. “It was also cool to be able to connect with so many engineers who competed in Formula SAE during their time in college, and how it set them up for their careers.”

The career conversations continued at the symposium's University Hub, which provided engineering students with opportunities to learn more about careers and professional development. Cox and Shenal said they appreciated the chance to discuss potential career paths directly with industry professionals.

They also came away with a better understanding of several technologies that could influence the future of automotive engineering, including hybrid vehicle systems, touchless interfaces, electric motor cooling and steer-by-wire systems.

The students' connections with Schaeffler also extended beyond the symposium. Two of the students had previously established professional relationships with the company through co-op experiences, giving them an opportunity to build on connections made through their work experiences.

They also met Hailey Zackiewicz '25, a mechanical engineering graduate from UA who now works for Schaeffler in Wooster, Ohio. Zackiewicz was stationed at the University Hub and provided assistance to the students throughout the event.

For Kwon, the experience demonstrated the value of giving students opportunities to interact directly with engineers and see the profession in action.

“Participating in a large-scale event, which students rarely have easy access to, and experiencing presentations and exhibitions featuring cutting-edge technology provided significant learning benefits in itself and offered positive guidance for their career paths,” Kwon said.

Experiences like the Schaeffler symposium complement the hands-on approach built into UA's mechanical engineering program. Students can gain practical experience through the co-op program, design teams, capstone projects and other experiential learning opportunities that allow them to apply engineering concepts to real-world challenges.

Kwon also brings industry perspectives into the classroom through his Vehicle Dynamics course. He invites recent mechanical engineering alumni working at companies in automotive-related fields, including Schaeffler and Honda, to speak with students about their work, career decisions and how they prepared for professional life while in college.

The goal is to help students see the connection between their education and the many paths available to them after graduation.

“Through my participation in this event, I realized once again that continuous interaction with the industry is essential for developing more diverse, specific and practical topics and providing valuable opportunities for students,” Kwon said.

For the four students who attended the Schaeffler Automotive Symposium, that interaction provided a firsthand look at where their mechanical engineering education can lead — from learning engineering fundamentals in the classroom to gaining hands-on experience through co-op and design teams and connecting with the engineers shaping the future of the automotive industry.