Robots Recruit Tomorrow's Engineers
Cheryl Cobb · 2004
United States has long enjoyed a position of technological leadership on the world stage. But declining interest in careers such as engineering threatens to undermine that position. Currently, only five percent of US students choose to pursue degrees in engineering and the sciences--compared with 30 percent in China. In an effort to reverse this trend, educators are calling in the robots. (Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology) links educators with industry to provide middle and high school students with a glimpse of the exciting world of robotics, with the goal of inspiring and interesting them in math, and science careers. BEST helps students get excited about technological careers at an age when they are making secondary school course choices, says Janice Borland, science department chair and robotics coach at Austin Academy for Excellence in Garland, Texas. If students aren't exposed to these sorts of programs early, it may be more difficult for them to decide to pursue the advanced curriculum pathways in math and science that help ensure success in higher education such as This year, 6,500 students from more than 600 high schools and middle schools will compete at 26 sites in 10 states. students have six weeks to design and build a remote-controlled robot from a sponsor-provided kit of standardized parts that consists of returnable materials such as remote controllers, as well as other items such as plywood, hardware, and PVC pipe. Some teams compete only in the robotics competition; others choose also to compete for the Award that encompasses performance on the game field as well as performance in communications, spirit, and sportsmanship. Teams vary in size from 10 to more than 50 students. Making a Difference attracts a wide variety of students--from techies to motorheads to communicators to artists--many who would otherwise have passed one another without talking in the school hallways. According to teachers, makes a real difference in the lives of many of its students. When Carlos Castillo first signed up for Sandra Schulz's art class, he was a good but somewhat disinterested student with little direction. He started to come by occasionally after school to watch the robotics team Schulz advises and eventually became a regular. team gave Castillo a focus, helping him to graduate first in his class. He currently attends the University of Texas, majoring in architectural engineering. The robotics program has helped my students learn more about physics, math, research, and presentation skills than any other program in our school, says Schulz, who teaches at Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas. It exposes them to adult engineering role models, deadlines, and professionalism in a way that is fun, exciting, and exhilarating. My kids form a bond like no other group at school, she continues. They become a very tight-knit family that watches out for one another, helps tutor one another, and acts as peer counselors when things get tough. That exposure to teamwork is one of the reasons industry has embraced the program. Team mentors, recruited from area businesses, are a crucial element of the program's success. Our company participates for a number of reasons, says Michael Wienen, Brazos Co-Chair, from College Station, Texas. Students realize that succeeding in science, or technology-related disciplines will take a lot of hard work. That can make engineering a tough sell. This program aims to show students that this learning process can be fun. We have a vested interest in seeing that the best and brightest students consider engineering, he continues. They are our future. Wienen explains that pre-event and post-event participant surveys prove that works. In 2002, interest in pursuing a career in engineering increased 25 percent as a result of the program. …