Museum of Aviation GEAR lab to prepare the next generation of innovators: ‘Dreams come true in spaces like this’

WARNER ROBINS — The Museum of Aviation unveiled its new GEAR lab during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday. 

GEAR is an acronym for Georgia, Engineering, AI, and Robotics. It is a hands-on learning space where students, community members and businesses can learn about emerging technologies shaping the workforce.  

It’s a chance to learn about career fields such as coding, cybersecurity, aerospace systems, virtual reality and advanced manufacturing through interactive learning, as well as real-world applications. 

Attendees can build robots, write code, explore machine learning,  and create simulations and virtual environments. 

President and CEO of the Museum of Aviation Foundation, Daniel Rhoades, said the lab is amazing. He said their team was brought together from across the community, and it took a huge effort to put the lab together. 

He mentioned other partners, including the Peyton Anderson Foundation, Sigma Defense, which is headquartered in Perry, the 21st Century Partnership and the Flint Energies Foundation. 

Rhodes said they not only provided funding, but also volunteers to help build the lab. 

“It’s great that we were able to pull this off,” he said. 

Rhodes shared that students from Kindergarten through college can visit the space. He also encouraged business owners to come and learn how they can incorporate AI into their businesses.

“It is a pretty wide net that we’re trying to get into these spaces and utilizing the amazing capabilities,” he said. 

The lab will also be a place for the Robins Spark Hub, where airmen, civilians and community partners can come together, said 78th Air Base Wing Commander Johari Hemphill. He said they want the space to be a place where they can turn good ideas into real solutions.

“The pace of change is not slowing down, it’s actually speeding up. Therefore, spaces like this matter,” he said. 

He said other future facilities, such as the Houston County STEM and Career Academy, as well as college and university programs, are helping to stay ahead of the challenges.  

Hemphill encouraged airmen to use the space to experiment and try something new. 

Rhodes believes the lab will develop capabilities and the next generation in technology. 

“It provides a center point to be able to pull that out, which then gets kids excited to go to college and learn what it is. Hopefully, in the end, begin and start businesses here in middle Georgia that become great businesses for the future,” he said.

An example he mentioned is Sigma Defense, an AI company in defense contracting. The company started in Perry with two men and now employs about 800 people worldwide. 

“We start the businesses, they will stay here,” he said. 

Hemphill believes the real power of the lab is not the equipment, but the people who will step through its doors. 

“It’s the airmen with the idea, it’s the team willing to challenge the norm, it’s the partner who brings a fresh perspective. The people are the magic. Dreams come true in spaces like this…that’s how innovation happens,” he said. 

The GEAR lab is located on the second floor of the Eagle Building at the Museum of Aviation, located at 1942 Heritage Boulevard.