WWU’s Ocean STEM After School Program to Compete in Robotics Competition May 9
Western Washington University’s Anacortes Ocean STEM After School Program will be competing in the 2015 Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Remote Operated Vehicles competition on May 9 in Federal Way.
The students competing are in grades 5 through 7, and are currently in their 11th week of the after school program and are working on their final preparations for the competition. They have advanced their exploration of underwater Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV) into a mission to include scientific sampling and industrial simulations under Arctic Sea ice models in the King County Aquatic Center pools.
“It hasn’t ceased to amaze me what young minds are capable of when given a challenge, materials, and the power to decide,” said Western’s Youth Programs Instructor Mira Lutz. “Watching our team’s final ROV design and operating skills take shape has been impressive and downright fun.”
The team, titled the Salish Sea Submersible Tech Company, has attended recent pool practice sessions to prepare for the competition. Prop-technicians assembled and deployed mission props into the pool while media specialists filmed and photographed the operation. Two pilots controlled and operated the ROV while one technician maintained the location of the tether and the mission communicator facilitated direction of the pilots, all of which requires immense teamwork and communication skills.
“It was quite an operation,” Lutz said. “I think I had the most fun, though, as the in-pool support crew.”
Students in grades 5-8 who are be interested in learning more about ROVs are invited to register for Odyssey of Science & Arts this summer in Anacortes. Full program details can be found online at http:// wwu.edu/youth.
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.eduor call (360) 650-3308; or contact Debbie Gibbons, Western’s Youth Programs manager, at (360) 650-6820 or Debbie.Gibbons@wwu.edu.