{"id":68841,"date":"2025-06-16T09:04:53","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T13:04:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=68841"},"modified":"2025-06-30T07:18:50","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T11:18:50","slug":"headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/","title":{"rendered":"Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"UTC

UTC mechanical engineering student Connor Mackey hangs out with Wrexham in the Chihuahua’s Chattanooga-area home. Photo by Angela Foster.<\/p><\/div>\n

The first time Connor Mackey met the 2.5-pound, 10-week-old Chihuahua puppy then known as Niblet, it was love at first sight\u2014for the human.<\/p>\n

For the Chihuahua, the feeling hasn\u2019t always been mutual.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe loves it whenever it doesn\u2019t work and we get to take it off of him,\u201d Mackey said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

The \u201cit\u201d in question is a tiny 3D-printed helmet designed by Mackey, a mechanical engineering graduate student at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, to protect the puppy\u2019s skull.<\/p>\n

Nearly a year ago, a UTC feature spotlighted that puppy<\/strong><\/a>, a rescue from the Humane Educational Society (HES) in Chattanooga. The Chihuahua was born with an open fontanelle\u2014the soft spot on the top of the skull where the bone hadn\u2019t fully formed. The condition could make even the simplest household accidents potentially life-threatening for the puppy.<\/p>\n

Faced with the severity of Niblet\u2019s condition, HES animal services officers were committed to finding a way to help. That\u2019s when Mackey first laid eyes on Niblet.<\/p>\n

\"Over

Over the past year, Connor Mackey has 3D-printed numerous iterations of the protective helmet.<\/p><\/div>\n

Today, Niblet is known as Wrexham\u2014a nod to the Welsh football club co-owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney\u2014and he\u2019s a rambunctious 14-month-old pup.<\/p>\n

Wrexham has grown to 8 pounds. The soft spot has shrunk to a third of its original size. And thanks to a year-long collaboration between Mackey and Wrexham\u2019s adoptive parents, Kay Baker and her husband, Brian MacLean, there\u2019s a working helmet that actually stays on. Mostly.<\/p>\n

Mackey learned about the puppy\u2019s condition from his faculty mentor, UC Foundation Associate Professor Trevor Elliott, and ran with the idea of designing a 3D-printed helmet. His design work was done from his home at his own expense.<\/p>\n

His first helmet design wasn\u2019t perfect but it bought the puppy time.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt kind of did what it needed to do, which is prevent it from euthanasia,\u201d said Mackey, who received a bachelor\u2019s degree in mechanical engineering from UTC in May 2024. \u201cBut a more refined helmet design was needed for future use and for him to be able to move around and live with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The helmet journey quickly became a passion project. Mackey tried everything, from adjusting existing 3D models of Chihuahua heads to experimenting with computer-aided design programs to build models from scratch. He even bought a 3D scanner and used a mobile phone app to capture the shape of Wrexham\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting dimensions in general was a challenge,\u201d he admitted. \u201cI think I printed off 20 at one point, just trying to get even the infill for the 3D print to see how squishy we wanted it and how flexible we wanted it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He began visiting with Wrexham and the adoptive parents every few weeks to test new prototypes. Each visit brought them closer to a helmet that was both functional and tolerable.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first design was like a football helmet,\u201d Baker recalled. \u201cIt was really thick and a little heavy. But we told Connor what we thought and he came back with another version. And then another.\u201d<\/p>\n

MacLean showed off 16 different designs that Wrexham had sampled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, you can see how different they all look,\u201d Baker said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then we had success,\u201d MacLean said.<\/p>\n

The final design is sleek and open around the ears, Mackey explained. It\u2019s lighter, thinner and more flexible than any of the earlier versions.<\/p>\n

Instead of using custom-made straps, he incorporated Apple Watch bands into the design, leveraging their comfort and ease of adjustability.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a very last-minute design change,\u201d Mackey said, \u201cbut it made it a lot better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"xxx\"

Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Kay Baker and Brian MacLean<\/p><\/div>\n

Truth be told, Wrexham doesn\u2019t wear the helmet every day. In fact, he wears it only when necessary. And when he has it on, he typically wants to be held by Baker.<\/p>\n

Around the house, he\u2019s playful and relaxed, especially when running around the backyard. Baker said she\u2019s more cautious and puts the helmet on when they\u2019re heading into public spaces because the soft spot, while small, still exists.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t take him to dog parks, so from a safety perspective, I don\u2019t think he really needs to wear it all the time,\u201d said Baker, who is a former HES board member and longtime volunteer. \u201cHe\u2019s done a lot without it and he\u2019s been fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baker credits Mackey\u2019s persistence and generosity for giving the couple peace of mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it weren\u2019t for Connor, we would just have that original helmet and that would be it,\u201d she said. \u201cNow we know we have one that\u2014if we feel like he really needs to wear it\u2014we have one that fits correctly. And that\u2019s because of Connor.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just the design that impressed Baker and MacLean. It\u2019s the student behind it.<\/p>\n

\u201cConnor is just delightful and really kindhearted and spent a lot of hours just messing with it on his own time,\u201d Baker said. \u201cBrian and I are both just so grateful for Connor caring so much about a dog that\u2019s not even his. He didn\u2019t have to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mackey called the year-long trial-and-error process a \u201ctest of problem-solving under constraints\u201d and a lesson in design thinking that he\u2019ll carry forward into his engineering career.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just kind of shows that if you want something great, it\u2019s going to take a long time,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve learned that the goal sometimes is for a year from now, but we still need to step on the gas the entire way. That\u2019s what got it built.\u201d<\/p>\n

These days, Wrexham lives with four other dogs\u2014Annabelle, Agent Gibbs, Ziggy and his \u201cbest buddy\u201d Zoey, who weighs 7 pounds. Baker said he is \u201cas spirited\u201d as any puppy, but his parents keep a close eye on playtime.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re always monitoring,\u201d she said. \u201cWe don\u2019t want one of them to accidentally put their paw on his head.\u201d<\/p>\n

And what happens when Connor stops by?<\/p>\n

\u201cWrex is not crazy about it at first,\u201d Baker said. \u201cWrex likes him, but he knows what it means when he sees Connor. He knows it means there\u2019s going to be a helmet on his head, at least briefly.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut by the end of the visit, he\u2019s taken treats from Connor and even lets Connor hold him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Learn more<\/h4>\n

Visit UTC<\/a><\/p>\n

UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science<\/a><\/p>\n

Mechanical Engineering<\/a><\/p>\n

Tiny helmet, big hope: Engineering compassion for a Chihuahua in need<\/a><\/p>\n

How to apply<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo gallery by Angela Foster<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kay <\/a>
Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For UTC mechanical engineering grad student Connor Mackey, what started as an engineering experiment quickly turned into a year-long test of creativity, grit and compassion. With no blueprint to follow, Mackey leaned into his problem-solving instincts\u2014producing more than a dozen helmet prototypes for a tiny puppy.<\/p>\n

Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1493,"featured_media":68866,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_slider":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_featurette":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12740,70,123864,15,59,3,7712,52,64,48007,8325,661],"tags":[125675,122564,123827,123826,124503,125673,123828,124505,123829,934,125674],"class_list":{"0":"post-68841","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-academics","8":"category-advancement-and-alumni","9":"category-campus","10":"category-college-of-engineering-and-computer-science","11":"category-community","12":"category-faculty-and-staff","13":"category-graduate-school","14":"category-mechanical-engineering","15":"category-news","16":"category-research-academics","17":"category-service","18":"category-students","19":"tag-brian-maclean","20":"tag-connor-mackey","21":"tag-creating-the-mocs-experience","22":"tag-cultivating-a-culture-of-innovation","23":"tag-humane-educational-society","24":"tag-kay-baker","25":"tag-leveraging-our-special-place-as-chattanoogas-university","26":"tag-niblet","27":"tag-operating-with-excellence","28":"tag-trevor-elliott","29":"tag-wrexham","30":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nHeadstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student | UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For UTC mechanical engineering grad student Connor Mackey, what started as an engineering experiment quickly turned into a year-long test of creativity, grit and compassion. With no blueprint to follow, Mackey leaned into his problem-solving instincts\u2014producing more than a dozen helmet prototypes for a tiny puppy.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student | UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For UTC mechanical engineering grad student Connor Mackey, what started as an engineering experiment quickly turned into a year-long test of creativity, grit and compassion. With no blueprint to follow, Mackey leaned into his problem-solving instincts\u2014producing more than a dozen helmet prototypes for a tiny puppy.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UTChattanooga\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-06-16T13:04:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-30T11:18:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/06\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Chuck Wasserstrom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@UTChattanooga\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@UTChattanooga\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Chuck Wasserstrom\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Chuck Wasserstrom\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ba12ddef664be78c31809fda10eae4e5\"},\"headline\":\"Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-16T13:04:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-30T11:18:50+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1165,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/files\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Brian MacLean\",\"Connor Mackey\",\"Creating the Mocs Experience\",\"Cultivating a Culture of Innovation\",\"Humane Educational Society\",\"Kay Baker\",\"Leveraging Our Special Place as Chattanooga\u2019s University\",\"Niblet\",\"Operating with Excellence\",\"Trevor Elliott\",\"Wrexham\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Academics\",\"Advancement and Alumni\",\"Campus\",\"College of Engineering and Computer Science\",\"Community\",\"Faculty and Staff\",\"Graduate School\",\"Mechanical Engineering\",\"News\",\"Research\",\"Service\",\"Students\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\\\/\",\"name\":\"Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student | UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/files\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-16T13:04:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-30T11:18:50+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ba12ddef664be78c31809fda10eae4e5\"},\"description\":\"For UTC mechanical engineering grad student Connor Mackey, what started as an engineering experiment quickly turned into a year-long test of creativity, grit and compassion. With no blueprint to follow, Mackey leaned into his problem-solving instincts\u2014producing more than a dozen helmet prototypes for a tiny puppy.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/files\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/files\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":1200,\"caption\":\"Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/\",\"name\":\"UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025\",\"description\":\"Official news releases of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ba12ddef664be78c31809fda10eae4e5\",\"name\":\"Chuck Wasserstrom\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/adff2964e628ba03f65fe21e0b0b94ca0667bdce5def0433d41884758501f284?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/adff2964e628ba03f65fe21e0b0b94ca0667bdce5def0433d41884758501f284?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/adff2964e628ba03f65fe21e0b0b94ca0667bdce5def0433d41884758501f284?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Chuck Wasserstrom\"},\"description\":\"Chuck Wasserstrom is the director of communications in the UTC Division of Communications and Marketing.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/author\\\/wyf557\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student | UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025","description":"For UTC mechanical engineering grad student Connor Mackey, what started as an engineering experiment quickly turned into a year-long test of creativity, grit and compassion. With no blueprint to follow, Mackey leaned into his problem-solving instincts\u2014producing more than a dozen helmet prototypes for a tiny puppy.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student | UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025","og_description":"For UTC mechanical engineering grad student Connor Mackey, what started as an engineering experiment quickly turned into a year-long test of creativity, grit and compassion. With no blueprint to follow, Mackey leaned into his problem-solving instincts\u2014producing more than a dozen helmet prototypes for a tiny puppy.","og_url":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/","og_site_name":"UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UTChattanooga","article_published_time":"2025-06-16T13:04:53+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-06-30T11:18:50+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":1200,"url":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/06\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Chuck Wasserstrom","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@UTChattanooga","twitter_site":"@UTChattanooga","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Chuck Wasserstrom","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/"},"author":{"name":"Chuck Wasserstrom","@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/ba12ddef664be78c31809fda10eae4e5"},"headline":"Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student","datePublished":"2025-06-16T13:04:53+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-30T11:18:50+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/"},"wordCount":1165,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/06\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194.jpg","keywords":["Brian MacLean","Connor Mackey","Creating the Mocs Experience","Cultivating a Culture of Innovation","Humane Educational Society","Kay Baker","Leveraging Our Special Place as Chattanooga\u2019s University","Niblet","Operating with Excellence","Trevor Elliott","Wrexham"],"articleSection":["Academics","Advancement and Alumni","Campus","College of Engineering and Computer Science","Community","Faculty and Staff","Graduate School","Mechanical Engineering","News","Research","Service","Students"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/","url":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/","name":"Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student | UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/06\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194.jpg","datePublished":"2025-06-16T13:04:53+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-30T11:18:50+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/ba12ddef664be78c31809fda10eae4e5"},"description":"For UTC mechanical engineering grad student Connor Mackey, what started as an engineering experiment quickly turned into a year-long test of creativity, grit and compassion. With no blueprint to follow, Mackey leaned into his problem-solving instincts\u2014producing more than a dozen helmet prototypes for a tiny puppy.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/06\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/06\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194.jpg","width":1000,"height":1200,"caption":"Kay Baker, Wrexham, Connor Mackey, Monday, June 9, 2025 in the Baker\u2019s North Chattanooga home."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/headstrong-one-stubborn-puppy-one-determined-student\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/","name":"UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025","description":"Official news releases of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/ba12ddef664be78c31809fda10eae4e5","name":"Chuck Wasserstrom","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/adff2964e628ba03f65fe21e0b0b94ca0667bdce5def0433d41884758501f284?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/adff2964e628ba03f65fe21e0b0b94ca0667bdce5def0433d41884758501f284?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/adff2964e628ba03f65fe21e0b0b94ca0667bdce5def0433d41884758501f284?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Chuck Wasserstrom"},"description":"Chuck Wasserstrom is the director of communications in the UTC Division of Communications and Marketing.","url":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/author\/wyf557\/"}]}},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/06\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194-600x400.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/06\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194-600x600.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Chuck Wasserstrom","author_link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/author\/wyf557\/"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/06\/Wrexham-Helmet-25-2194.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68841","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1493"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68841"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68841\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68921,"href":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68841\/revisions\/68921"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}