PROTO is a student-led engineering organization at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with a mission to spark interest in STEM for the next generation of engineers, creative thinkers, and problem solvers.
We were founded on a simple belief: every student deserves the chance to discover engineering, no matter their background or the resources available at their school. Many Nebraska elementary and middle schools lack robotics programs due to budget limitations, staffing shortages, or the absence of accessible STEM materials. PROTO exists to close that gap.
Our Story
PROTO began in 2023 when a small group of UNL engineering students recognized how transformative early robotics experiences were in their own lives. With encouragement from faculty mentors, the team joined the Heartland Robotics Cluster and shared a vision for accessible, affordable STEM education.
That vision was validated early. Through the support and investment of the Heartland Robotics Cluster and Invest Nebraska, PROTO secured its first round of funding—resources that made it possible to design and manufacture our first prototypes, pilot our robotics curriculum, and expand our outreach into local Title I schools. Their belief in our mission helped us accelerate from an idea to a functioning STEM education initiative within our first year.
Our Work
Today, PROTO is designing and building a fully UNL-developed robotics platform. Our team creates:
• Affordable, custom-engineered robotics kits
• An intuitive programming environment for young learners
• Turnkey curriculum and lesson plans
• Hands-on outreach programs for elementary and middle-school classrooms
Our in-house design approach dramatically reduces cost barriers, enabling schools to introduce robotics programs for the first time.
Our Impact
Every semester, PROTO members work directly with students across Lincoln to introduce them to coding, engineering, and problem-solving. Our sessions are structured, hands-on, and focused on igniting that “aha” moment that can shape a student’s future.
At the same time, PROTO gives UNL students a meaningful platform to apply their engineering education in real-world settings—designing hardware, writing curriculum, testing prototypes, and leading outreach sessions that create measurable community impact.
Our Commitment
We are a team of students who care deeply about doing the right things for the right reasons. Whether in classrooms, after-school programs, or community centers, we aim to deliver life-changing STEM opportunities to the next generation—one student, one robot, and one spark at a time.