FIRST Team to Visit Workspace, Mentors and Campus Leaders at Event
01/13/2016
Contacts: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu and Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
* Media Advisory *
Thursday, Jan. 14, 5:30 p.m.
What: More than 30 middle school and high school students from throughout the Merrimack Valley will come to UMass Lowell to meet university leaders and see the campus location where they will design and build a robot for the international FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition.
The contest asks students to put their aspirations and skills to the test by constructing a robot that can complete a variety of tasks. The robot is built with materials and limited instructions provided by the contest’s organizers. Over the next six weeks, the students will sharpen their academic skills and learn to use sophisticated computer programs under the guidance of engineers from companies such as Analog Devices, Kronos Inc. and IBM, and leaders of other organizations. Many of these mentors are UMass Lowell alumni.
Students are from Dracut, Haverhill, Lowell, Methuen, North Reading and Tyngsborough, along with Salem, N.H., and include participants in the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell.
UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney, Dean of Engineering Joseph Hartman and team mentors will attend the event to wish the students well as they begin their challenge. UMass Lowell is donating the use of its College of Engineering Makerspace on North Campus for the team to conduct its work. Students’ efforts are supported by a total of $11,000 in grants from NASA and Analog Devices.
Once the robot is completed, the students will need to prove its functionality in the contest’s New England qualifying round in Hartford, Conn. If successful, the team will move on to the world championships in St. Louis in April. The competition was founded by Dean Kamen of Bedford, N.H., inventor of the Segway, among other innovations.
Where: College of Engineering Makerspace, Falmouth Hall, North Campus, 201 Riverside St., Lowell. Contact UMass Lowell media relations for directions and parking information.