SDSU Georgia: Turning engineering education into opportunity
A computer engineering senior is using his experience in the SDSU STEM program in the Republic of Georgia to teach robotics to younger learners.
For SDSU Georgia senior Nikoloz Lobzhanidze, engineering has never been confined to a classroom.
It happens in laboratories, where ideas become prototypes. It happens in robotics competitions, where a failed design can be as valuable as a triumphant one.
And increasingly, it happens in the workshops where Lobzhanidze is helping younger students discover they, too, can build something that once seemed impossible.
SDSU Georgia was established in Tbilisi in 2014 under an agreement with the Millenium Foundation and the government of the Republic of Georgia, and now offers bachelor of science degrees in computer science, computer engineering and civil engineering.
In computer engineering, Lobzhanidze has spent his undergraduate years building a résumé that stretches well beyond his coursework. He is president of the SDSU Georgia Robotics & AI Club, treasurer of the Empower Women Club and an educator at two schools in Tbilisi. He also is the national representative for FIRST Global in Georgia, where he also serves as lead mentor for Team Georgia in the national robotics competition.
A common thread runs through each role: using engineering to create opportunities for others.
“Engineering education extends far beyond the classroom,” Lobzhanidze said via email. “It is about using knowledge to create meaningful impact within your community.”
SDSU Georgia offered an alternative to studying in the U.S.: earning an American degree while remaining connected to home.
“As I learned more about the program, I was impressed by its accredited U.S. curriculum, project-based engineering education, and emphasis on practical learning,” he said. “I realized it would allow me to receive a world-class education while staying connected to Georgia’s growing STEM community.”
Computer engineering requires students to navigate the intersection of hardware and software, but Lobzhanidze’s experience has also encouraged him to move between theory and application in the labs.
“One of my favorite aspects of SDSU Georgia has been its hands-on approach to engineering education,” he said. “Rather than simply learning theory, we are constantly encouraged to design, build, experiment and solve real engineering problems.”
SDSU partners with three universities in Georgia to help prepare the next generation of Georgia STEM professionals with the strength of an SDSU degree.
When SDSU Global Campus Dean Ian Gibson met with faculty and students in Tbilisi this summer, he was immediately struck by Lobzhanidze’s ambition and potential.
“Creating pathways to high-quality STEM education in Georgia is unlocking the potential of an extraordinary generation of talent,” Gibson said. “Students like him remind us that when we expand access to opportunity, the impact can extend far beyond any individual degree or institution. We are helping equip a generation whose contributions to science, technology, and society may ultimately exceed anything we can anticipate today.”
Student to teacher
While completing his degree, Lobzhanidze has already stepped to the other side of the classroom, roles that reinforced each other.
At European School in Tbilisi, an international CIS-accredited institution, he teaches Robotics, Computer Science and Design. He also returned to his alma mater, one of Georgia’s three specialized science schools, where he teaches Advanced Robotics and AI.
Lessons learned in SDSU Georgia’s engineering labs show up in the projects he develops for his students. Research skills influence how he creates educational materials and documentation.
And the process of breaking down complicated technical concepts for younger students has strengthened his own communication and leadership skills.
He credits his SDSU professors — Alexandre Meskhi, Nino Jojua and Tsotne Putkaradze — with playing an important role in that evolution with lessons he uses in his own classrooms.
“Rather than asking students to memorize information, I encourage them to think critically, build prototypes, document their work, and solve real-world engineering challenges,” he said.
Robotics provides an ideal laboratory for that philosophy.
“Beyond technical knowledge, robotics teaches students how to think critically, solve problems creatively, communicate effectively, and collaborate with others,” said Lobzhanidze, who has entered international competitions in the field. “They also learn resilience because engineering is an iterative process. Every mistake becomes an opportunity to improve.”
As founder and president of the SDSU Georgia Robotics & AI Club, he helped create a space where students explore emerging technologies beyond their regular coursework, collaborate with peers and turn curiosity into projects.
His involvement as treasurer of the Empower Women Club further reflects a college experience that has extended beyond technical coursework and into student leadership and community engagement.
The culture at SDSU Georgia, he said, encourages that kind of initiative.
“The professors are approachable, class sizes allow for meaningful interaction and students are encouraged to think independently, collaborate and pursue projects beyond the classroom,” Lobzhanidze said. “That culture inspired me to found the SDSU Georgia Robotics & AI Club and become more involved in STEM outreach across the country.”
Managing multiple responsibilities while completing a computer engineering degree has required its own kind of engineering: careful planning, persistence and the ability to solve problems as they arise.
But the workload also points toward the kind of impact Lobzhanidze hopes engineering can have.
For him, success is not measured only by whether a robot performs as designed or a piece of code executes correctly. Oftentimes, the most meaningful result is a student looking at a creation and seeing their own abilities differently.
As he approaches graduation, he is helping ensure that others get the same chance to discover them — one classroom, one team and one robot at a time.
“One of my favorite moments as a teacher is seeing students realize that they can build something they once thought was impossible,” Lobzhanidze said. “That confidence often extends far beyond robotics and encourages them to pursue ambitious goals in other areas of life.”
