WWU’s Anacortes Ocean STEM After-School Program Students Honored with the Angus MacGyver Award

Western Washington University Youth Programs students from its Anacortes Ocean STEM After School Program were honored with the prestigious Angus MacGyver Award at the 2015 Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Remote Operated Vehicles competition in May.

The student team, Salish Sea Submersible Tech, was comprised of participants in grades 5 through 7. The competition required teams to develop an underwater remote operated vehicle (ROV) that could accomplish a mission in Arctic sea ice models – such as scientific sampling and industrial simulations – in the King County Aquatic Center pools.

Salish Sea Submersible Tech was honored for their ingenuity in attempts to fix problems with their ROV.  In addition to the award recognition, the team will tour the Rolls Royce Marine facility on Harbor Island in Seattle.

Prior to the event, students completed a series of pool practice sessions to prepare and identified various roles for each team member, including two pilots, a tether technician, a mission communicator and media specialists.

Students in grades 5 through 8 who may be interested in learning more about ROVs are invited to register for Odyssey of Science & Arts taught by Mira Lutz this August in Anacortes.  Full program details can be found online at http://www.wwu.edu/youth.  In addition to a course on ROVs, students can also choose to enroll in a course titled Ocean Odyssey of Marine Mammals, which allows students to take part in a porpoise survey at Washington Park. 

Both the Ocean STEM After School Program and the summer Odyssey of Science & Arts Program are provided by WWU Youth Programs in partnership with the Anacortes School District and Shannon Point Marine Center. For more information on WWU Youth Programs, visit http://wwu.edu/youth, email youth@wwu.edu or call (360) 650-3308.