April 17, 2000

IBM, NCSU, and Southeast High Partnership Launches FIRST Project

Robotics Competition Draws Students to Science, Engineering

A rookie team of 53 Southeast Raleigh High School students "made a great showing" in the national robotics competition sponsored by the FIRST (For Interpretation and Recognition of Science and Technology) Program, according to Dr. Sarah A. Rajala, associate dean of academic affairs of NC State's College of Engineering.

The team - one of only two in North Carolina and the Southeast to enter the competition founded in 1992 by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to promote technical literacy among secondary school students - competed against 268 high school teams from across the nation. The competition was held at Epcot in Orlando, Fla., last week.

"Though our team did not place in the finals, their enthusiasm soared when the robot they built and dubbed Robodog performed well under the guidelines of the contest," said Rajala, a member of the Advisory Board for the FIRST project.

The project was launched last fall by IBM, NC State's College of Engineering, and Southeast Raleigh High School in a partnership to raise awareness among the students of the impact that science and mathematics have on technology.

IBM engineers, NC State engineering faculty and students, and high school math and science educators worked with the students in preliminary tasks devoted to enhancing technical skills and design creativity for constructing a robot.

IBM granted $35 thousand to the project in support of resources and mechanical parts needed for the robot construction.

In January, the team received guidelines given simultaneously by FIRST to the nation's competing teams. The next six weeks were spent in creating and building Robodog to move around, pick up balls, and dunk them in bins six feet above.

Dr. John F. Muth, visiting assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at NC State and also a member of the Advisory Board, was a key leader in providing team members with engineering "know-how." In February, he and Rajala accompanied the team to the regional competition in Richmond, Va., where their entry reached the finals.

Muth said that, throughout the project, their teamwork in problem-solving has been outstanding.

Southeast Raleigh High School Principal John Modest pointed out that the FIRST partnership with IBM and NC State has been in line with the school's mission "to equip students with knowledge skills and attitudes to become productive citizens and agents of change within our global community."

He said, "This partnership has given our students unique opportunities to learn firsthand what it takes to be successful in college and in the workplace.

David Ferrell, IBM director of university relations and recruiting, said that FIRST's mission "aligns with our goals as an industry leader in technology to ensure a qualified workforce of the future."

Rajala and Muth agree that the rookie team has exemplified the "true essence of teamwork" that produced a mechanism through the talents of a diverse group of students - talents ranging from design creativity to technical skills.

Rajala said the intense competition has taught the students the endless possibilities of technology. Following the robotics experience, team members expressed their desire to seek a college education in science and engineering, she said.

Editor's Note: For more information on the FIRST program and to view photographs from the recent Orlando competiton, visit http://www.robodog.ncsu.edu/screen8.htm.

/ News Index / News Archives Index /