Fox Valley Technical College recently highlighted alumnus Travis Thul – the inventor of a ramen cooking machine – who credits his education at Fox Valley Technical College for giving him skills to develop the product.
Thul was serving a 24-hour Coast Guard shift in 2012 near Washington, D.C., and wanted a quick meal. He headed to the kitchenette with a package of ramen noodles. Not willing to trust the crusty communal microwave and unable to find a pot, he found himself staring at the coffee maker.
That is when a question popped into his head: Could a machine like a Keurig be designed to cook ramen noodles?
That simple question launched a 14-year journey marked by patents, prototypes and plenty of near misses before becoming Ramen Now!, the world’s first patented desktop ramen noodle cooker.
Thul, who earned an associate degree in Electrical Engineering Technology in 2004, said, “Education played a huge role. The core tenet of engineering is learning how to identify and solve problems. We’re taught to think outside the box and make do with what’s available.”
He credits both the engineering mindset and technical knowledge he gained through his education with helping transform an idea into a real product.
“Given all of that, I don’t think we would have started Ramen Now, LLC if not for starting down the engineering education pathway,” he says.
Read more about Thul’s invention and the journey he took to bring it to market here: From Classroom to Kitchen Counter: Alum Brings 14-Year Invention Journey to Life.
